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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
February 20, 2012
PAGE 2 thE UNIVERSItY DAILY KANSAN moNDAY, fEbRUARY 20, 2012
PAGE 3 thE UNIVERSItY DAILY KANSAN moNDAY, fEbRUARY 20, 2012
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Table of Contents
6 Worst roommates
7 Living alone
8 Healthy recipes
9 Quick alfredo recipe
10 Know about utilities
11 Living at home
13 Sharing a bathroom
14 What do you think?
15 Picking roommates
16 Living with pets
17 Budgeting
18 What do you think?
19 Lost your keys?
20 Puzzles
21 Working out at home
22 Know your landlord
PAGE 4 thE UNIVERSItY DAILY KANSAN moNDAY, fEbRUARY 20, 2012
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During my freshman year of college, I lived
in a residence hall with my randomly assigned
roommate. At frst, I was excited to meet her
and make a potential, new friend. Tis excite-
ment turned into disappointment.
My roommate liked to stay up until 3 a.m.
playing Dungeons and Dragons, use my
things without permission and have her boy-
friend over 24/7. But, the biggest problem was
that I was a neat freak, and she was a slob.
We could never work out a system that
suited both of our needs. Everytime we tried
working things out, we would both be frus-
trated.
My sophomore year was even worse. I
was assigned two roommates I didnt know.
Tese two girls went to the bars four nights a
week and would come back late at night. Tey
would stumble into the dorm and turn on all
of the lights while I was sleeping. Needless to
say I didnt get much sleep that year.
Afer two years of living with my room-
mates in close quarters, I realized two things:
I wanted to fnd an apartment and pick my
own roommate.
Now, I live in an apartment, and I con-
sidered my roommate very carefully. When
youre looking for a roommate you need to
realize that you are sharing a space. Not ev-
erything can go your way. You need to pick
a roommate who will listen to you and who
can work out problems with you if/when they
By Kayla Banzet
kbanzet@kansan.com
arise.
My roommate and I have split all of the
chores around the apartment. We clean the
living room and kitchen together. We also
split the cost of groceries. We have worked
out a system and things have gone pretty well
this far.
Even if you pick your roommate(s), prob-
lems can still pop up every now and then.
Make sure to voice your issues with your
rommate(s) quickly instead of letting your
anger get the best of you.
And, since its the season to start looking
for new living situations and new roommates
for next school year, be sure to read Dylan
Snyders article, Tricky living situations can
arise, on page 6.
Editors Note
mEEt thE StAff
WRItERS
Michael Clark
Avalon Cole
Elly Grimm
Stella Liang
Mike Montano
Victoria Pitcher
Rebekka Schlichting
Dylan Snyder
Anna Wenner
NEWS mANAGEmENt
Editor-in-chief
Ian Cummings
managing editor
Lisa Curran
Special sections editor
Kayla Banzet
Copy chiefs
Marla Daniels
Jennifer DiDonato
Alexandra Esposito
Dana Meredith
ADVISERS
General manager and news adviser
Malcolm Gibson
Sales and marketing adviser
Jon Schlitt
ADVERtISING mANAGEmENt
business manager
Garrett Lent
Sales manager
Korab Eland
PAGE 5 thE UNIVERSItY DAILY KANSAN moNDAY, fEbRUARY 20, 2012
PAGE 6 thE UNIVERSItY DAILY KANSAN moNDAY, fEbRUARY 20, 2012
February has arrived and the time has come
for many to make a commitment. This commit-
ment is not one associated with Valentines day,
though it does entail a bit of love and devotion.
For those who currently live in an apartment
or townhome its time to start thinking about
whether or not you will renew your lease or
begin to search for a new place. Or if you cur-
rently live in the dorms, its time to start thinking
about what you want from a place to live.
This decision can often be stressful and time
consuming. There are several factors that must
be considered: price, location, square footage,
and pet restrictions to name a few. Although
these details cannot be overlooked, it is impor-
tant to remember they all come second to the
granddaddy of leased living, the roommate.
Your choice in roommate will undoubtedly
influence a large part of your lifestyle for the
rest of your year.
A good decision may lead to friendship and
another year of cohabitation, while a bad selec-
tion can end in a castle of dishes and a great
sum of debt.
To those of you who have been there before,
and for those of you who live alone, you will
find humor in the stories that follow. For those
of you in the process of selecting a roommate for
the first time, read carefully and choose wisely.
DYLAN SNYDER
dsnyder@kansan.com
tRIcKY LIVING SItUAtIoNS cAN ARISE
Roommates
The good The bad
The ugly
Alexa Bergmeier, a freshman
from Fort Collins, Colo., began her
first semester here with a randomly
assigned room in McCollum Hall
with a roommate that she had never
met before. She, like many other
dorm dwellers, had decided to go
potluck.
We were talking and I just didnt
think that it would work out,
Bergmeier said.
With this realization she made
the decision to get out. Bergmeier
called the housing department and
requested a change. She was then
transferred to Corbin where, by coin-
cidence, she was assigned to a room
with a girl that she knew from high
school. Bergmeier now lives with two
roommates whom she considers to be
very good. For Alexa, a good room-
mate is a clean person who commu-
nicates well and is very considerate
of others.
To Elliot Wood, a sophomore from
Denver Colo., a good roommate is
someone who works with you to get
things done in the house. Theyll pay
for groceries, theyll help cook, theyll
help clean and theyll take care of
themselves and their own space.
Unfortunately, this semester Wood
has found himself living with a bad
roommate. After living together in a
house last year, Wood and two of his
four roommates decided to live togeth-
er again, this time in a three bedroom
townhome.
It didnt take long for Wood to real-
ize that he didnt know one of his
roomies as well as he thought he did.
He spends most of his time with his
girlfriend, but when hes at the house
he complains about everything, Wood
said. Earlier in the semester he took
the TV and the cable box into his room
and expected us to pay for it.
Finally we come to the story
of Laurie Winkel, a senior from
Topeka. Winkels ex-roommate is
the type of roommate that should
be avoided. After abandoning
his pregnant cat, Winkels room-
mate disappeared from the house,
returning only once to complete
a one night stand before sneaking
off again the next morning. When
her roommatess cat gave birth to
four kittens he was nowhere to be
found.
I sold off his DVDs for cat food
and litter, then tried to find them
new homes, but 3 of the 4 kittens
died, Winkel said. My roommate
never asked about them, or returned
to the apartment. Depressing.
edited by Katie James
PAGE 7 thE UNIVERSItY DAILY KANSAN moNDAY, fEbRUARY 20, 2012
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Life with roommates can be fun, stressful,
downright awful or a combination of the three.
For students who choose to live alone, no
roommates means no drama.
I personally prefer it, said Taylor
Leibbrandt, a senior from Bird City. I really
like the fact that if you have a TV you can
watch whatever you want whenever you want.
You can cook whatever, you can make messes,
and pick up at your own pace. You can deco-
rate. You can have a cat if you want to. You can
do all that stuff that sometimes having a room
mate can make difficult.
For Leibbrandt, the positives outweigh the
negatives, no matter how much it hurts his
pockets.
The only thing is it can become a little
expensive at times, Leibbrandt said. Youre
not splitting the rent or utilities, obviously,
which can be a downfall. And also, just being
by yourself a lot. If you arent someone who can
be alone all the time then sometimes you need
a roommate to chat with.
Living with a roommate has its advantages
as well, including saving money, having com-
pany and the conviencence of having someone
to help with chores around the house.
Without a roommate a student must pay for
full rent and utilities, spend a lot of time by
themselves, and do not have someone to rely
on for tasks like feeding pets or watering plants.
For Natalie Meyer, a senior from Wichita who
lives alone, the drama of living with another
person is not worth the benefits.
Ive lived by myself since August, Meyer
said. I hated my last roommate. She was a
slob.
Now that she lives alone, Meyer said she
likes that she does not have to plan her home-
life around somebody else.
I dont have to clean up after anyone,
Meyer said. I dont have to fight for the wash-
ing machine, I can study at home. Its quiet.
Meyer says the only disadvantages she has
experienced from living alone are the added
expenses.
Erin Lavin, a senior from Gardner, had a
roommate who had to move out before their
lease was up. Her roommate still pays half
the rent, but because she got a job in Kansas
City, she no longer lives in the apartment this
semester.
It was kind of a weird deal, Lavin said. We
were going to sublease but didnt find anybody
in time so it didnt work out. You cant really
upset your roommate. I mean, if youre messy
or you want the TV to yourself thats pretty
much up to you.
Lavin said that if she could manage it, she
would continue living by herself even if she had
to pay full rent.
I think I probably prefer living by myself,
but I dont mind living with people, Lavin
said.
Like most parts of apartment life, the deci-
sion of whether or not to have a roommate must
be made on an individual basis. Leibbrandt,
Meyer and Lavin all agreed that they preferred
living alone because the drama was not worth
the advantages living with roommates offered.
Edited by Max Lush
Living alone is preferable, some students say
roommates
ANNA WENNER
awenner@kansan.com
tRAVIS YoUNG/KANSAN
Without the drama that comes with a roommate, living alone can be very peaceful. Living alone does come
with the disadvantage of having to pay rent without the help of a roomie.
PAGE 8 thE UNIVERSItY DAILY KANSAN moNDAY, fEbRUARY 20, 2012
Students no longer need to fear the expen-
sive cost of healthy eating. Te myth that eating
right costs extra money causes some students
to turn to processed, unhealthy items. Afon
Kissinger, a junior from Overland Park, said
its disappointing students dont eat healthy be-
cause of the price.
Some people think its more expensive,
but it really just depends on where you get it,
Kissinger said. Eating healthy is as expensive
as you make it.
Smoothies are an inexpensive way to get nu-
trients. Kissingers favorite recipe is a Green Tea
Spinach Smoothie.
Another way to eat healthy
and keep costs low is to
buy in a bulk, a tip Ann
Chapman, a dietician
at Watkins Health
Center, recom-
mends.
Buy a large
package of chicken
breasts and freeze
them. Buy larger
containers of rice
and pastas, which are
usually cheaper than
small packages, Chap-
man said. Shop at Sams or Costcos and split
food items with roommates or friends.
Chapman also suggests snacking on things
such as almonds raisins, and grapes. Tese
items are all found in local grocery stores and
are typically cheaper than a candy bar.
Sarah Klehm, a sophomore from Chicago,
said she cuts up carrots or apples before head-
ing to class so she can grab them when shes in
a rush.
Eating healthy needs to become a habit, not
something you feel like you have to do, Klehm
said. By cutting up fruits and vegetables ahead
of time, its just as easy for me to take carrots to
class instead of a bag of potato chips.
A quick, 20-minute recipe Klehm loves
making for dinner is chicken and
stir-fry.
Te recipe calls for: two
chicken breasts, two car-
rots, yellow pepper,
red pepper, green
pepper, about 1/3 cup
bean sprouts, 1 tbsp.
soy sauce and egg
noodles.
Simply boil noodles
until sof and slice veg-
etables and chicken.
Place the onion into a
separate hot pan, then add
chicken and vegetables. Cook
for a few minutes, then add noodles. Top with
soy sauce and enjoy.
Not only is this recipe cheap and easy to
make, but the ingredients can also be used
for other meals, like Chapman suggested. Te
chicken can reused the next day for a chicken
sandwich on wheat bread, and the veggies can
be used as mid-day snacks throughout the
week.
Edited by Gabrielle Schock
Food
Trim your budget and stock up on healthy food
AVALoN coLE
acole@kansan.com
GrEEn tEa Spinach
SmoothiE
inGrEdiEntS:
2 cans of fresh spinach
1 scoop protein powder
cup green tea
2 apples
inStructionS:
Put all of the ingredients into a blender
and blend until smooth.
All of these ingredients can be found at
a local grocery store. There is no need to
go to expensive health food stores, such as
Whole Foods, where the prices are unneces-
sarily higher.
chickEn and
Stir fry Salad
inGrEdiEntS:
2 chicken breasts
2 carrots
yellow pepper
red pepper
green pepper
200g bean sprouts
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 package egg noodles
inStructionS:
All you need to do is boil noodles until
soft, slice vegetables and chicken, place
onion into a separate hot pan, add chicken
and vegetables, add noodles, add soy sauce
and enjoy.
PAGE 9 thE UNIVERSItY DAILY KANSAN moNDAY, fEbRUARY 20, 2012
a simple ChiCken alfredo reCipe
A while ago I was planning my weekly
menu and grocery shopping list and had one
more day to plan. I couldnt think of anything
to make. Then, all of a sudden, the idea hit
me Chicken Alfredo.
The night came that I had planned to make
the dish, and preparing everything was fun. I
have always enjoyed cooking since I was a kid
in my moms kitchen and making this meal
was no exception. Another thing that made
it nice was that one of our Kansan photog-
raphers came over for company, so I didnt
have to eat the meal alone. My cat was also
helping, trying to get me to give her some
of the scraps.
Preparing the meal went very smooth,
which made me happy. The chicken breasts
and noodles I used didnt burn, and the sauce
didnt curdle. Finally came the time to eat and
this Chicken Alfredo was, without a doubt,
the best thing that I had ever made for myself
and my photographer guest. The chicken was
cooked to perfection and the sauce was nice
and creamy.
My experience cooking this meal was so
fun, here is the recipe and instructions if
youd like to try it too.
ingredients:
2 thawed out small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 jar of Ragu light parmesan alfredo sauce
Egg noodles- amount based on your appetite
a tablespoon of canola oil to help keep the chicken from boiling
instruCtions:
Start out by making the sauce frst.
1. Cut up the chicken breasts while your frying pan heats up on medium setting and pour the
oil in the pan.
2. After you are done cutting up the chicken put the chicken chunks into the heated oil and let
them fry until they are fnished cooking. A way to help them cook a bit faster would be to have a lid
over the pan so the steam is trapped in and helps cook the chicken.
3. While the chicken is frying get the Ragu sauce and pour it into another pan and put that
pans burner between the medium and low settings so the sauce doesnt burn or curdle. After
youre done pouring the sauce, use a little milk to help clean out the jar a little more. Also, this
helps make the sauce a bit creamier.
4. Around this time the chicken will be done cooking so carefully drop the cooked chunks into
the sauce and then stir everything around. After this, turn the burner down to low so the sauce
will simmer properly. The sauce is now done!
5. Now is the time to get the egg noodles going. Get a pot and fll it about 2/3 with water. The
burner you put this on will need to be on the high setting. Wait until the water is fully boiling
to put the noodles in. After the water is boiling, pour in as many noodles as you like and then let
them boil for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes drain the noodles with a colander bowl and then
congratulations, youve just made a delicious and inexpensive meal.
RECipE
ALfREDo: qUIcK, EASY AND DELIcIoUS
ELLY GRImm
egrimm@kansan.com
s
t
e
p
1
s
t
e
p
2
s
t
e
p
3
s
t
e
p
4
d
o
n
e
photos by travis Young/kansan
PAGE 10 thE UNIVERSItY DAILY KANSAN moNDAY, fEbRUARY 20, 2012
If you are like most college students, youre
probably looking for ways to save some cash.
For students living on their own, cutting costs
on utility bills can be easy and ofen free.
What to look for:
Finding ways to save money starts before
you even move in. If you are apartment hunt-
ing, there are important things to consider.
Ideally utilities would be included,
Chelsey Warner, a junior from Minnesota
said.
Warner didnt have the time to be picky
when she was searching for an apartment, but
she was able to fnd an apartment complex for
students where the only utility she pays for is
electricity.
Tomas Hoppough, a junior from Fair-
banks, Alaska, and his girlfriend Erin Carr,
a sophomore from Kansas City, moved into
their apartment in January afer searching for
a couple months. Hoppough said the most
important thing he looked for was an apart-
ment with utilities included. During the win-
ter months when utilities tend to be higher,
Hoppough and Carr found they had diferent
expectations for utility use.
Im trying to save money, and shes trying
to stay warm, Hoppough said.
Students should also look for energy-ef-
cient appliances within the apartment and
check with their electric provider for the av-
erage monthly utility cost.
What you can do now:
You may be surprised how little efort sav-
ing money on your energy bill can take.
Warner lives with three roommates and
said its important to pay attention to how
much electricity you are using.
We are really careful about shutting lights
of before we leave, Warner said.
Warner said she runs the dishwasher only
once it is full.
Te winter weather has been fair since
Hoppough and Carr moved into their apart-
ment in January, , but Hoppough still keeps a
close eye on the thermometer.
If I turn it up, he turns it down, Carr
said.
Hoppough said he keeps the thermometer
at room temperature and makes sure to turn
the heat of before he leaves the house.
Te little steps you take to be more con-
scious of energy use can save you big in the
long run.
Edited by Max Rothman
VIctoRIA PItchER
vpitcher@kansan.com
Minding utility costs can save students money
finance
No Cost ENERgy saviNg tips
Turn off everything not in use -- lights, com-
puters, etc.
avoid phantom load by unplugging appli-
ances such as TVs and DVD players, or char-
gers for electronics like cell phones and hand-
held games, which still consume power when
plugged in but not turned on.
Reduce the time spent with your doors and
windows open when you are heating or air con-
ditioning.
in the winter, let the sun shine in by open-
ing window coverings. Be sure to close them
at night.
Lower your daytime thermostat in the win-
ter, maintaining 68 to 70 degree fahrenheit
temperature.
Throw an extra blanket on the bed and lower
your nighttime winter thermostat setting.
increase daytime thermostat in the summer,
maintaining a 78 to 80 degree fahrenheit tem-
perature.
inspect, clean or change furnace flters
once a month.
Wait until you have a full load to start the
dishwasher and clothes washer.
Use pots and pans that ft the burners; small
pans on small burners.
Use countertop-cooking appliances when
possible. a toaster oven or microwave will cost
less to operate than heating a large oven.
Keep light fxtures clean. Dust can obstruct
light output by as much as 25 percent.
source: Westarenergy.com
tRAVIS YoUNG/KANSAN
Saving electricity is a great way to save money on your utility bill. Some apartment complexes include utilities.
PAGE 11 thE UNIVERSItY DAILY KANSAN moNDAY, fEbRUARY 20, 2012
ELLY GRImm
egrimm@kansan.com
Money key reason why
students live at home
home life
There are several reasons a student may
choose to remain living at home with their
families. Sometimes its the state of their
finances, sometimes its just more convenient,
they might not feel like being part of the
dorm life or maybe a student just isnt entirely
ready to be on their own in an apartment.
For Benjamin Taylor, a freshman from
Lenexa, it was the financial argument that
helped him fully make his decision to remain
at home as well as other reasons.
Its about $4000-$5000 cheaper to live at
home than in the dorms or my own apart-
ment, he said. That and if I need financial
help my parents are right there.
Taylor also talked about some of the ben-
efits hes noticed from staying at home.
I dont have to pay for food, still have
access to a car and I really only have to pay
for my gas, he said.
However, Taylor said hes also noticed some
small downsides to remaining at home.
Its pretty detached from campus life and
the commute can be annoying sometimes,
he said.
But before he had fully made his decision,
Taylor had checked out some other living
situation possibilities around the area.
I did check out the scholarship halls, he
admitted.
For Shayna Goodson, a freshman from
Lawrence, there were a few factors that helped
her make her decision.
Ive lived here for so long and I was
already pretty comfortable and I didnt want
to completely uproot so overall it was just
more economical for me to stay at home, she
said. Also, I am going to school here and the
commute isnt terrible.
The pros Goodson has noticed while stay-
ing at home are indeed ideal for any student
and have helped her.
Im less tempted to go out so I study
more, she said.
But like Taylor, she has also noticed some
downsides to remaining at home.
Its mainly dealing with the parents and
theres an overbearing feeling, she said.
However she did also try out and explore
other living options.
I lived in the dorms and also looked at
houses on Kentucky and some other streets,
she said.
For Luke Rhodes, a freshman from
Lawrence, it was also the financial argument
that helped him decide.
Its way cheaper for me to live at home, he
said. Also, being a music major I can practice
in my home environment.
Rhodes also discussed the pros of him liv-
ing at home, including the convenience of
not having to deal with dorm life and he says
it has helped his studying habits and even
his diet.
Its quieter so I can study, he says. And I
have a healthier diet because I have access to
a fridge at home.
Rhodes also discussed a con of his situa-
tion, which was the missing sense of com-
munity.
I feel like theres a community Im missing
out on, he said.
While there are several reasons that a stu-
dent might remain at home, be it financial or
otherwise these students have not only made a
huge decision, they have even benefited from it.
Edited by Caroline Kraft
Pros and Cons of
living at home
Pros:
1. Free rent and utilities
2. Home-cooked meals
3. Clean environment
4. Fewer laundry problems
5. Easier to study
6. No roommate issues
Cons:
1.Parents still have control
2. Keeping a social life and
sex life is diffcult when you
share walls with mom and
dad
3. I live with my parents is
not the best pick up line.
4. Always ending the night
at your parents house.
5. Responsible for house-
hold chores and any project
your parents come up with
6. Family drama
PAGE 12 thE UNIVERSItY DAILY KANSAN moNDAY, fEbRUARY 20, 2012
mIKE moNtANo
mmontano@kansan.com
Covering all the bases while renting property
insurance
chRIS bRoNSoN/KANSAN
Three spectators look on as frefghters work on a house fre at 303 13th street Monday evening. The fre broke out around 5:30 P.M.
A fire or a theft can leave one feeling vul-
nerable. It can also leave some serious debt
behind if you dont have insurance. It may be
your first time living on your own. A signed-
lease later and youre good to go, right? Not so
fast. A lease means that you agree to rent from
a landlord or property owner, pay rent and
not destroy their property. In turn, they will
make sure the conditions are livable through-
out your occupancy. What happens if the
property becomes unlivable and is damaged?
Thats when insurance kicks in.
The Kansas Insurance Department reported
claims totaling more than $1 billion last year.
Renters insurance helps mitigate the prob-
lems a renter may face, but its up to the renter
to get the proper coverage.
Theres really nothing that isnt covered,
said Jenny Hohman, an agent from State Farm
Insurance.
Renters insurances protect people from
damage done by fire, hail, wind, glass break-
age, theft, riots, and impact by an aircraft.
It sounds a lot like homeowners insurance,
though the difference is that renters insurance
covers belongings while homeowners insur-
ance covers belongings and the actual home.
Students are usually tenants of an apartment
and not owners of an entire complex.
The average cost of insurance per month
for a student can range from $10 to $20 no
matter the insurance company students go
through, but the exact cost depends on a
number of factors. The most common factors
used to determine insurance rates include
age, gender and location. According to a few
apartment complexes in town, if a student
signs a lease and does not get insurance, their
belongings are not covered. That new com-
puter you got this year? Gone. The big screen
all the guys came over to watch the big game
on? Gone. Items can start to really add up
when you consider your computer, television,
clothes and other electronics. Depending on
the insurance company you go with, cover-
age can range from $20,000 to $25,000 at the
bare minimum. This means that if a natural
disaster were to occur, the insurance company
would pay that amount to get you back on
your feet and recoup your losses.
But how do students prove what they own?
I always recommend that people do some
type of documentation for themselves, not for
the insurance company because in the event
of an incident, the individual needs to com-
pile a list of everything they own, Hohman
said. Were going to replace everything you
own, DVD by DVD title.
An insurance company is not just going to
hand over a check for the maximum coverage
you have. The company requires proof of these
items. There are laws that prohibit insurance
fraud and this is one way to follow the rules.
Whether you photograph, videotape or keep
your receipts, its important for students to
know what they own before its too late.
Edited by Max Rothman
chRIS bRoNSoN/KANSAN
Firefghters exit a burning house at 303 13th street Monday evening.