180SPRING STUDENT LIFE FOUNDATION A Stronger Armstrong spring 2022 renovations send freshmen to find new housing. AFTER THE MOST RECENT MAJOR dormitory renovations to Cathcart Hall in 2019, Armstrong Hall was the next dormitory that needed renovations. The last time Armstrong received a renovation was summer 2014. Assistant dean of students Marcus Thomas spoke on the factors that determined the start of the renovations. “It was really determined by how [COVID-19] impacted a lot of the materials and the cost for a lot of different things,” Thomas said. “When it is time to make the decision to renovate a building, there are a lot of things that go into it; it is not easy. If you start at a certain point in the summer, then you may not have enough time to do what you need to do, so there really is no great time.” Oct. 25, 2021 marked the first day that freshmen living in Armstrong were able to apply for new housing in either Harbin, Allen, Graduate or Keller. The options came at a first-come, first-serve basis, causing freshmen to rush to the housing offices and camp out at 5 a.m. to receive the best housing possible. Freshman Ruben Collazo spoke about what he looked forward to when moving dorms. “I am excited to live with people that are not freshmen,” Collazo said. “I think the first semester feels better to be with freshmen, but by the time that we will be moved into our new dorms, we will be in a club and already have friends.” Emily Myers, residence life coordinator of Armstrong for 14 years, moved to Village Apartments. “I am thankful to have a place to stay,” Myers said. “But I am sad to not have that community and connection living under the same roof and being a part of the Armstrong community that will now be dispersed over campus.” Resident assistant (RA) junior Payton Walker spoke about his experience in an empty hall his first semester and what he was expecting for the following semester. “It [has been] really nice,” Walker said. “It is quick and easy to check rooms. There are less problems because there are less people, and the people on my hall are closer. I think it will be a lot more lively on the hall, especially if the hall becomes mainly one club. I think that would be really cool.” The freshman move-out date started on Nov. 7, 2021, and they had until Christmas break to move into their new location to allow for renovations to take place in spring 2022. WRITTEN BY RYAN GALLAGHER
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==