Daily Illini Housing Guide

Freshmen juggle housing options for next year

The University offers a charcuterie board of housing options for freshmen and transfer students. Residence halls, certified housing, fraternity houses, off-campus living and co-ops are just a sliver of the options available on campus. Each option comes with its own benefits and compromises. We asked the class of 2026 about the factors behind their housing...

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University dining offers varied choices for vegetarians

For students living in University Housing, including most freshmen, a main complaint from vegetarians and meat-eaters alike is the monotony of food that sets in after a few weeks. Finding a meal that satisfies dietary rules for vegetarians and vegans, however, can be tricky. Add the difficulty of finding something that also is tasty, and...

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Sophomores return to dorms in hopes for better experience

Multiple sophomores who have returned to live in the dorms have said they think living in the dorms are better this year. They are provided with in-person events and social interactions that can provide them with the normal college experience they missed last year. Sophia Guzman, sophomore in FAA, lived in Townsend Hall of Illinois...

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Opinion | Busey-Evans offers convenient location, modern amenities

When moving to the University, I never expected to consider my dorm a as a new home. Busey-Evans, a small University Housing dorm located at 1111 W. Nevada St., Urbana, was the first building I entered as a college student last August. Four floors tall — not including the basement — stands a roughly 100-year-old...

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Editorial | Six ways to master campus housing

Choosing the best place to live is never easy. Specifically for college students, there seem to be unlimited and limited options available when deciding where to live, who to room with, how to decorate, what leasing companies to avoid and so much more. For most students, this is your first time living on your own...

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Staff shortages, COVID-19 precautions impact dining halls

Dining hall staff at University Housing are attempting to work through staff shortages as a result of COVID-19.  Alma R. Sealine, director of University Housing, is responsible for all the operations, such as business services, dining, facilities, marketing, residential life, student affairs technology, housing information and management.  “We operated quarantine and isolation housing, which included...

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COVID-19 cases spike in residence halls

University Housing is experiencing concentrated COVID-19 cases, or COVID-19 “hotspots.” They are ensuring there are enough isolation spaces as well as shifting toward virtual activities to account for this. “It is a large operation behind the scenes to make (isolation spaces) run smoothly,” said Alma Sealine, director of University housing.  According to Mari Anne Curry,...

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Opinion | Dorms aren’t prisons: Stop random patrols

Teenagers have a natural resistance to authority. And for college freshmen, newly freed from their parents, able to make their own choices and given a sprawling campus to explore? The resistance is multiplied a thousandfold. Hence the demonization of resident advisers — RAs, for short. The sound of those two simple letters — “RA!” — has...

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Seven07 tenants experience water issues, poor living conditions

Clare Oehler-O’Sullivan, senior in LAS, placed a pot of water on the stove of her seventh-floor apartment. She turned on the burner, took a step back and waited for the water to boil. Once the boil started to roll, she took the pot off the heat and waited a few minutes. Pot in hand, careful...

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Opinion | Parasitic landlords infect with no end in sight

In “The Lehman Trilogy,” the question “What makes good money?” commands an answer. “Money is made from what you cannot avoid buying.” When you think of a parasite, what organism do you think of? Maybe a tapeworm? Fleas? Hookworms? Leeches? The immediate thought goes to a small organism that slowly and gradually drains its host...

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University holds students in temporary housing

Students are still living in lounges during the spring semester because the University ran out of places to house them. “This semester, because our occupancy is so high, almost 100%, we had a larger number than anticipated, students choosing to come for the spring semester,” said Alma Sealine, executive director of University Housing.   According to...

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COUCH provides affordable, communal housing

In Urbana at 702 W. Washington St. sits a large, white house. In the warmer months, the building, comprised of three stories and 14 rooms, is surrounded by greenery. Upon entering through the front door and small deck, you are greeted with the many faces of the Harvest House. In the early 2000s, a group...

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Opinion | Champaign reigns supreme over Urbana

For students at the University of Illinois, it’s easy to forget that Urbana-Champaign isn’t one condensed semi-urban area. Yes, Urbana and Champaign are distinct cities. Even within the University community, the two halves of this whole campus have distinct vibes. They carry their own distinct cultures. And one of them is distinctly better than the...

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Opinion | Urbana remains superior to Champaign

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Urbana and then Champaign. Even the person that named the University knows Urbana is the superior town to the chaotic and capitalistic Champaign.  Urbana is quiet and peaceful, the most conducive to learning and a classic college life. The Main Quad is one of the biggest players of Urbana,...

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Champaign County prepares to open its first 24/7 homeless shelter

Champaign County’s first-ever 24/7 homeless shelter — known as Strides — is in a race against the clock as it prepares to open before the onset of the cold season.  According to organizers, the Strides shelter will be at either one of two Champaign locations: CU at Home’s current location, 70 E. Washington St., or...

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Dos and don’ts of cleaning

Moving into your own space can be a liberating experience; however, with more independence comes more responsibility. Whether you’re living by yourself or with roommates, dust, dander and dirt can build up quickly. Here are some tips and tricks to keep your space fresh and clean.  Dos: Utilize white vinegar for cleaning. According to Dr. Maria...

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Cultivate your space with these easy houseplants

You’ve moved in, settled down and added your own decorative touches to your living space. Your new apartment or dorm room is equipped with posters, pictures and memorabilia from years past.  However, something may be missing. You might want the space to look fresh and inviting. What you may need are houseplants to brighten your...

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Unpacking the complex racial history of University Avenue

Although it is now lined with freshly built luxury student apartment buildings, Champaign’s University Avenue is also paved with regional significance dating as far back as 1940.  Barbara Suggs-Mason, co-chair of the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail, said University Avenue has long served as the unofficial border between the University’s campus and Champaign’s North...

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Landlords and lawyers: How predatory rental practices fly under the radar

Dylan Bogash, senior in LAS, toured several campus apartments before transferring to the University in the fall of 2022. When she saw a relatively inexpensive one-bedroom apartment on the Smile Student Living website, Bogash decided to tour the space. “On the website, it was a beautiful, spacious unit full of natural light,” Bogash said. When...

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Beyond the buck

The year is 1974 — the Watergate scandal is hot off the presses, “The Godfather Part II” has arguably become the only good sequel in all of cinema history and a gallon of milk sets you back a mere 72 cents. Fifty years later, Watergate is a historical earmark, KISS has just concluded its fifth farewell...

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