PHOTO BY CONSTANZA ANDUJAR
Abhaya Saridena, sophomore public health major, receives information and a gift bag from the Apartments.com table during the Off-Campus Housing Fair.
Sanjana Ananthula, senior biology major, feels searching for a place to live outside campus is like a race against time.
“I ended up at UPointe kind of as a last-minute resort,” she said. “It wasn’t my first choice.”
Hoping to help students with off-campus housing, the University Housing recently hosted its Off-Campus Housing Fair in the Don Taft University Center spine.
Ananthula said she attended the fair out of curiosity to learn about her options.
“I think this fair is important because a lot of people don’t know what’s available,” she said. “If you know beforehand what’s out there, you can go into the housing portal feeling confident about your choice instead of stressed.”
Representatives of off-campus resources and apartment communities, such as Shalimar At Davie and Vue on 67th, tabled at the event.
Students could connect with local realtors and with Apartments.com, NSU’s off-campus housing partner.
Gabrielle Castañeda, sales executive at Apartments.com, said the fair assists students and faculty find housing close to campus.
“For the students, I think a lot of them, it’s their first time living off campus or their first time not living at home, and so I think it’s helpful to guide them to find a community and kind of walk them through the process,” Castañeda said.
As someone who does not have a car, Ananthula prioritizes accessibility, affordability and safety.
“I want to find an easy and reliable way to get to campus,” she said. “And I look for a place that’s secure and comfortable, somewhere that feels like a second home.”
Castañeda said that Apartments.com provides the accommodation listings that can be found on NSU’s off-campus housing website.
“So, essentially, [at the fair], we help students looking for housing go to the website to see all of their options there for off-campus housing,” Castañeda said.
Ananthula said the fair plays a crucial role in helping students make informed decisions on housing.
“It’s helpful to know your options before the housing rush,” she said. “Having that knowledge makes the whole process less overwhelming and reminds you that you do have choices.”
For more information on off-campus housing: https://offcampus.nova.edu/
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