On-campus independence

Living on campus does not require students to cram themselves into dorms with up to four people in one room. For those students who have been through four semesters at UB or have completed at least 60 credit hours, the on-campus apartments are available as a more spacious option.

???The on-campus apartment housing is split into three villages: Flint, Hadley and South Lake. All of these apartments provide each resident with their own air conditioned room and a bathroom they will only need to share with one other person.

???Connecting individual bedrooms is a common room that has a kitchen with a dishwasher and microwave. Though all three complexes offer sufficient living arrangements, choosing one requires a closer look at the details.

Flint Village:???

???Flint Village has been made available for graduate students, professional students and upper class undergraduate students. It is particularly close to the Academic Spine, and though it only allows students to sign on for a 12-month lease, it is one of the cheaper on-campus apartment options.

???"It doesn't have a 10-month lease option," said Alessandra Barbieri, a junior sociology major. "That is sort of difficult if you don't plan on living there during the summer."

???A four-bedroom apartment at Flint comes with two bathrooms for a price of $566 a month. A two-bedroom apartment goes for either $644 or $690, depending on whether the residents want one bathroom or two.

???For those who want an entire Flint Village apartment themselves, the price is higher, going for $728 per month.

???Besides the lower cost, one thing that students like about Flint Village is its location.

???"It is really nice how close it is to the bus stop, because I have classes on South Campus," Barberi said. "I think it is one of the closest apartments to campus."

???Another convenient factor for those who live in Flint Village is that a single interior corridor connects every building. This helps keep students warm in the winter.

There is also a security intercom system that residents can use to know who is knocking at their door.

Hadley Village:

???Located on the west side of North Campus, on a professionally landscaped 11-acre plot of land is Hadley Village. It is slightly cheaper than Flint, running $555 for a 12-month lease and $625 for a 10-month lease. It is available only to upper-class undergraduate students, and like Flint, boasts a quick walk to North Campus.

???"For me, Hadley is perfect," said Riki Napoirkowski, a senior art history major. "It is close to all my classes, I never have to take the bus and the Natural Sciences Center is right there so I can walk everywhere indoors in the winter."

???One thing that separates it from the other on-campus apartments is the Community Building, complete with a fireside lounge and a fitness center. Students can also pick up their packages and letters in the mailroom, located inside the Community Building.

???"I like the layout a lot," Napoirkowksi said. "The apartments are arranged around each, other rather than in a straight line like the way South Lake is arranged."

South Lake Village:

???UB's apartment-style residence complex located on the shore if Lake LaSalle goes by the name of South Lake. It is made up of nine two-story buildings and seven three-story buildings. It has a total of 228 apartments and can house up to 552 students.

???A 10-month lease agreement is available for those who live in one of the four-bedroom apartments. However, this lease costs $670 a month, whereas a 12-month lease goes for a monthly charge of $605. South Lake also has a luxurious studio apartment option that costs $754 per month.

???One downside of South Lake, in relation to other on-campus housing options, is its proximity to campus.

???"I picked South Lake because I need to be close to Alumni Arena for cheerleading," said Megan Stratton, a senior communication major. "It's not really that great if you need to get to the Capen Area though."

???One particularly attractive feature of South Lake Village is spacious kitchen/common rooms.

???"I like the fact that there is a lot of open space," Stratton said. "My room is the smallest one, but it is big enough for me."

???While South Lake is the most expensive village to live in, its residents are kept happy by efficient maintenance and general quality.

???"They are really fast at responding to work orders," Stratton said. "I had my lease signed for 10 months, but I just changed it to a 12-month lease so I can stay there over the summer."