Since I was a kid, I have always imagined where I would live when I was finally an adult. From watching HGTV with my mom, I have gained unrealistic expectations as a 20-year-old for what I want my homes to look like. As a sophomore at the University of Dayton (UD), my roommates and I had the option to live in an university-owned apartment this year.
Immediately my head was swimming with visions from HGTV of what our apartment could be. Just as I tend to get annoyed with the house picks people make on " House Hunters," I was quite annoyed with the pick that the housing department made for us. Their pick was not even in our top three! We felt like with the housing system we were entering the HGTV Dream Home contest with only the smallest chance of winning. We wished we could love it or list it, but with the help of HGTV we were able to put our situation into perspective.
So here are some thoughts that college students have about university housing as told by HGTV:
1. Every place is a "fixer-upper."
Kind of like most college students themselves!
2. You have a plan, but not enough money to make it real.
Or any money for that matter...
3. You can't help but waste money on accent pieces to make your place unique.
At least the tapestries hide the beige walls.
4. To find those accent pieces and other treasures you scour flea markets and garage sales.
As a college student, those are the only places you can afford to shop at unless it's 75 perfect off at Target.
5. When looking at your shared closet, you sassily ask your roommate “It’s great for me, but where are all of your clothes going to go?”
Seriously though, where will everything fit?
6. My wishlist may include "move-in ready," but I did not ask for 1990s hotel-like furniture.
Where did they even find this stuff?
7. You rearrange the room 256 times to find the "best use for the space."
If it won't fit in the closet, it's got to go somewhere...
8. Why didn't they add another bathroom?!
9. “Would my landlord be cool with me tearing down this wall between our kitchen & living space, so we can have a more open floor plan?”
10. Ugly paint colors and no one likes the carpet
While the people in House Hunters can always repaint and get new flooring, you are stuck and must learn to appreciate beige. At least the carpet hides stains well.
11. With overhead lighting courtesy of the university, natural light is everything.
Or at least some more lamps would be appreciated. How else are we supposed to see to do our homework?
12. By the end of the semester, you have to pay for extra costs and unexpected damages not in your budget.
Although university housing may not be your pick and may need some fixing up, let HGTV inspire you to tackle some projects and turn your housing into a home. Remember, never settle for anything less than your dream home!
