As I think back to my freshman year and the community dorm lifestyle, I remember how excited I was to experience life in residence halls. I am an only child, so sharing a room and living in such tight quarters was a foreign concept to me, but it was all a part of “the college experience.”

As the year progressed, my excitement for this lifestyle began to fade. It was not due to roommate problems, which is the usual culprit, and although the community bathrooms did gross me out to an extent, it was not unbearable. But the feeling of independence made me want strike out on my own to the off-campus housing realm. I felt like it was the “grown up” thing to do. Now that I have my apartment that comes with bills and a horrible management staff, I think to myself, “Was my urge to live off campus rooted in a need for independence or stupidity?”

Thinking about the off-campus market and the ones that are marketed to students, it is simply a rip off. Most apartments come with separate leases, which can be in the range of $300 all the way up to $800. So by doing the math, a group of four students pay collectively thousands of dollars to stay in an apartment that is probably worth $600 or $700 on its own. Of course, some come with furniture and utilities included, but again, if we’re looking at the apartment as just an apartment and not “student” housing, I would guarantee a big difference in price.

Along with the high cost, the management of most of these places leaves much to be desired. Maintenance takes about two weeks to solve a problem that they don’t view as urgent, and you never get direct answers to your questions. Even with all these problems and inconsistencies, new apartments are being built up quickly every semester, and the cycle eventually continues. They throw free swag at us (I have a pair of sunglasses in about every color) and tell us all the things we want to hear. However, they forget to mention the conflicts that might arise. We are basically sold this image of what student living should be, and honestly, the picture they paint and the reality suffer a serious disconnect.

So who is responsible for fixing this? The off-campus housing association is helpful when you first move in and are getting things set up, but it seems they disappear when problems arise. As students, we must demand more. We are what keep these businesses running. We live in a college town, actually the college is primarily the town, meaning we are the main source of revenue for the majority of the places in Tuscaloosa. We do not just have to take what we are given. It is okay to ask for better services and polite staff.

If students demanded more from these apartment complexes that title themselves “student living,” then maybe they will actually cater to students.

Amber Patterson is a junior majoring in public relations. Her column runs biweekly on Wednesdays.