Crossing the Budget Border

With gas prices constantly going up and down, and back up again college students need a place to reside without the worry of gas. College students should be able to live with the worry of convenience and spending their "college fund" on gas each week, but that's not the case.

Camden Crossing offers a beautiful complex, nice amenities and very spacious rooms but even with all these great things it still is located to far away from campus and has no bus service for N.C. State residents.

Camden Crossing, located off Tryon, isn't in walking distance to any grocery stores, malls or restaurants therefore more money spent on gas and more time spent traveling for their residents.

Camden Crossing offers a great living environment but who wants to live in a place that offers so little transportation options? No buses dare go there and the taxi fee from the bars on Glenwood Avenue will run about $20, what college student can afford that?

All-in-all Camden Crossing is a great complex in a horrible location. College students have to save money somehow and choosing a place to live that's close and convenient, not Camden Crossing.

SNW

Where Not to Live

Incoming freshman after acceptation into NC State are then required to decide on where they may want to live. They are asked to pick their top 3 picks and then the school decides for them, based on the students top picks. So how should an incoming student decide on what their top 3 should be; well there are a lot of things that influence them. Common influences are: a lot of friends may want to live together, they have heard good things about a certain dorm, or location on campus. But the whole point of this blog is to tell you where you should not live if you are an incoming freshman.

First freshman are at a disadvantage because sophomores or upperclassman have first choice on where they want to live. And this is the main reason why Bragaw should be the last choice for incoming freshman. Why is this the main reason? Bragaw only has one alcohol free floor, so students that are 21 and still wish to live on campus can have alcohol or alcohol paraphernalia in their room. Bragaw is also the most requested place to live on campus because of its location right in the middle of everything.

Another dorm that freshman should stay away from is Avent Ferry. Avent Ferry houses many of the athletes that compete for NC State. This is because the rooms in Avent Ferry are a lot bigger and a little nicer than most, so they give a majority of the rooms to the athletes. Most freshman would also not enjoy living here because its located so far from the campus. So its hard to be involved in all the fun stuff located on campus for freshman when you live at Avent Ferry.

So if you are an incoming freshman and you are not sure what to put as your three choices I hope this helps you a little in knowing what not to pick. So what ever your reasons for where you want to live do not waste one of your top three picks on Bragaw or Avent Ferry.

JWS

convenience

Convenience is an important consideration for students who are apartment-hunting. College students want to be close to campus but also want access to the nearby restaurants and stores. Folks in the midst of their youth want to be where the action is, and Apartment complexes on Gorman St. such as Rhynes Gate, and University Commons are all within a mile of campus and just minutes away from Interstate 40 and the beltline. They are also around the corner from Western Blvd., which is home to many restaurants and a Food Lion. All three are on the Wolfline, NCSU's bus transportation system that brings many students to campus.

Students who frequent Centennial Campus may want to consider Champion Court or Ivy Commons. Both are less than a mile away from NCSU's new, modern jewel off of Avent Ferry. Both are also down the road from Mission Valley Shopping Center and close to Pullen Park. Both complexes are also on the Wolfline.

There are also lots of townhouses on the other side Hillsborough St., just north of campus. These may be a little more expensive, but their location is central to the price. Cameron Village shopping center is close by and downtown Raleigh is just a few blocks away.

RB