An embarrassing experience I had: When I first arrived at my residence hall (Nugent) last year, I had no idea how the elevators worked. I remember I kept pressing the button and nothing would happen while my mom stood impatiently beside me, both our hands full of furniture and luggage. Little did I know that you actually have to swipe your iCard to access the elevator, which I soon discovered was just one of the many security features that makes living with University Housing the safest living options for students.

Access

Not only do you have to swipe your iCard to use the elevator, you also have to use it to get into the residence halls themselves and use a separate key to access your room. This three-layered security process may seem like a bit much sometimes, but it’ll always make you feel safe.

Compare this to the current apartment complex I live in, in which the main doors and elevator doors are always unlocked so anybody can get in. The only thing we have to do is use a key fob to get into our rooms, which don’t lock automatically. University Housing residence halls, on the other hand, always lock automatically, meaning that nobody can get in unless they have your key.

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24/7 Staff

What’s more, University Housing residence halls also have staff members around 24/7 (24 hours a day, seven days a week) to help you feel safe. There is always a Resident Assistant (RA) on duty to support you no matter what hour it is, and these RAs are also trained to help students feel more comfortable living away from home and to offer advice. A Resident Director (RD) also lives in the residence halls as an added measure to offer extra support to the RAs. There’s also a front desk clerk to support you with whatever you need. Last but not least, security officers from the Division of Public Safety patrol all undergraduate halls in the evening and early morning hours, seven days a week. This variety of available staff members ensures that you’ll feel safe and secure living with housing.

Proximity and Location

Last but not least, living with University Housing means that you’ll be living closer to academic buildings and bus stops, another safety feature. Since you can choose where you prefer to live, this is especially beneficial for first-year students who want to live closer to the buildings that they’ll be taking their classes in. As a business student, for example, I knew I wanted to live in the Ikenberry Quad because of its close proximity to Wohlers Hall and the Business Instructional Facility (only .3 miles!). This proximity is especially beneficial in winter (Champaign winters are COLD!), and you’ll be so grateful when you don’t have to walk as far to attend classes or get to bus stops.

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