Although there has certainly been some mild resentment towards being required to live in The Woods, Millikin University’s student only apartment complex required for both sophomores and juniors as a housing option, but, as previously discussed in the same feature a couple of weeks ago, The Woods has made some accommodations in order to allow students to have the greatest experience possible while living in the apartment complex.

Again, as I have previously mentioned in an earlier feature, the staff of The Woods, along with the officials of Millikin University’s Office of Residence Life, have enacted programs to get students living in the apartment complex, as well as younger or transfer students, to grow accustomed to their new living environment. Specifically, The Woods along with the Office of Residence Life has enacted certain programs, both for educational and recreational purposes, in order to both inform students about certain aspects of The Woods, as well as allowing them to enjoy their stay at the student only apartment complex. Concerning educating people about living in The Woods, I can remember that slightly over a year ago, when Millikin University had informed the student body that sophomores and juniors would be required to live in The Woods, that the staff of The Woods, as well as the officials of the Office of Residence Life, held an informational meeting for freshman that were going to move into The Woods. During this meeting students were informed of the aspects of living in The Woods, with only a brief outline of what students were going to expect. Additionally, as first semester rolled up during this school year, as students moved into The Woods, they were expected to go to a meeting where students were told, in greater detail, about the procedures that they were made to follow during their stay at The Woods.

Concerning the more entertaining aspects of living in The Woods, the staff of The Woods, as well as the officials of the Office of Residence Life, have enacted opportunities both for students who currently occupy The Woods, as well as younger students who are about to become residents of the student only apartment complex. Specifically, during the beginning of the school year, The Woods staff along with officials such as Paul Lidy from the Office of Residence Life held an outdoor gather in the middle of The Woods with a variety of both food and games, offered only to students who were currently occupying The Woods, in order to make the apartment complex a more fun environment. Additionally, offered to both students who do live in The Woods as well as students who do not, a lease signing party was held, allowing students to sign leases and to take part in games as well as a raffle.

As one can see, although The Woods has been a more controversial and upsetting aspect of living in The Woods, it can be seen that the staff in charge of The Woods along with the Office of Residence Life have worked hard to ensure that students are getting the best out of their stay. Nevertheless, although getting students to enjoy their stay at The Woods is something that the staff of The Woods, as well as the Office of Residence Life has succeeded in, there are still things The Woods has to do to be a better land lord.

One thing that the staff of The Woods could do in order to make students feel more welcome upon arriving to the apartment complex is by taking part over the summer in cleaning there apartments. Because students are expected to have the apartments in pristine shape before they move out, it is ludicrous that The Woods does not ensure that their apartments are well kept over the summer. Many students living in The Woods upon arriving to their apartments came home to filthy apartments. If we are expected to take care of our apartments, The Wood should have the same mentality about their own staff as well.