It’s Saturday morning after a late night out on Halloween weekend. My furnace is broken which leaves me and my roommates with no heat during a chilling 40 degrees overnight. I walk into my kitchen and see the ceiling is leaking and immediately realize it is the direct result of a leaky shower on the second floor. I call my landlord’s emergency number with no response and explain through a voice message that the ceiling is leaking and left a puddle on our kitchen floor. I am now afraid that the ceiling will cave in due to a large amount of water. After seven hours with no response, I decide to make a second call. No answer once again. I leave a second voicemail emphasizing my concern. After finally getting a hold of the emergency maintenance number approximately 24 hours later, I was told that the situation was not an emergency and I will have to wait until the weekend is over to solve this issue.

My first thought is: Great, I’m glad that I am living in a house where my physical safety is potentially at risk with the chance that the ceiling could fall on my head at any minute. My second thought is: What happens if real damage happens to the house or piping system?

I am aware that college is not a luxurious period in life, however young people such as myself just want to come home to a semi-intact house after a long, stressful day. Occasionally I, as well other students, need help with things we just cannot fix ourselves. Considering the poor, old conditions of houses where students live, landlords and housing assistance are especially important.

Student housing is infamous for having poor service for their collegiate clients. I have now experienced two years of student housing life and disappointing landlords. I am sure students can relate to situations such as mine at some level where their landlords simply do not care.

I have heard of “horror” stories of students losing money because of unfair contracts or security deposit disagreements. Other stories I have heard include landlords living in other states who cannot even attend to their clients. What is the deal? Why are students treated any less than other people in society when it comes to renting an apartment?

I have scratched my head for two years trying to answer these questions and still do not know the answers. I have no doubt that students are capable of treating houses or apartments with respect and keeping them in good condition. Yes, students have parties and can be messy, but that is life. Any adult can have parties and make a mess too.

As I look forward to the next seven months that I still have to live in my old student house, I fear about my future living situations and landlords after I move out of student housing. I hope that I will never have to deal with poor service like I did for the past two years. I also hope that for the sake of my peers, living situations improve and landlords will be of more assistance to their customers.

For now, I must always remember what my mom tells me, it builds character.