Hey Carolina Housing! My name is Haedyn Mills! I am one of the Spring 2025 Marketing Interns and a sophomore here at UNC. As my time on the Carolina Housing team is coming to an end, I wanted to share why I have chosen to live on campus all four years here at Carolina.
Here’s a little bit of background on my on-campus living experiences and how these have influenced my decision to stay on campus.
My Time in Hinton James Residence Hall
I participated in a program called Carolina Global Launch where I spent my first semester abroad at the University of Stirling in Scotland! This was an amazing experience where I got to explore the world around me, but I was really nervous about coming back to Carolina halfway through the year.
I always knew that I had wanted to come to UNC and was excited about living in a building with all freshmen. In one of my journals in middle school, I had drawn out the floor plan of the rooms based on one of the South Campus residence halls here and had decorated it on the page how I wanted it. So, when it came to figuring out where I wanted to stay, I knew I wanted to live on South Campus. My housing application process was very different from most students’ here at UNC as I had to do it halfway through the year, but I ended up exactly where I wanted to be!
When I got to UNC me and one of the other girls in my study abroad cohort were able to be suitemates, and I got matched randomly with my roommate. We immediately clicked and became extremely close friends and my friend from study abroad and I were able to bring in my new roommate to our friend group.
My time in Hinton James was one of exciting experiences, adventures and side quests. I 100% recommend living in Hinton James as a freshman because you are so close to so many other people who want to make friends with you and who are in the same stage of life here in Carolina that you are.
My Time in Teague Residence Hall
I am currently living in Teague Residence Hall which is located Mid Campus near the
Kenan Football Stadium. As a sophomore, this is the perfect location for campus because it’s near everything.
I knew I wanted to live in this area of campus, and my friends and I ended up all getting placed here but spread out throughout the building. As someone who had experienced having a random roommate before, I was not worried about this in the slightest! My current roommate and I are very close friends so I knew I would be able to make a new friend with my random roommate and still have a solid support system.
My favorite part of living in this area is that I am close to all of the sports games. As a big sports fan and Carolina Fever point collector, this has been the perfect space. I can walk out to my “backyard” which is essentially Dorrance Soccer Field and collect the points. With living so close and getting points I was able to be in the top 200 people in the school who went to the most sporting events and was able to be second row at the Duke v. UNC basketball game.
My time living here has been full of so many fun sporting events and memories with my friends. This side of campus means I am only ever a short walk from just about everything, and it is in between both of the gyms and dining halls.
My Future in Rams Village Apartments
Next year I am so excited to be living with my friends, one of which was my random roommate freshman year in one of the Rams Village Apartments. We are all looking forward to the location right next to the Dean Smith Center for attending basketball games, and of course the unique lifestyle living in an on-campus apartment will provide.
My roommates and I plan on renewing our rooms for our senior year too because we love living on campus.
I also feel like you don’t need this because freshmen are required to live on campus. Living on campus allows you to get involved and go to events like sports games and club meetings without driving or walking far distances. For a lot of people, undergrad is the only time they will have the opportunity to live on campus.
I highly recommend taking advantage of the opportunity to live on campus and enjoy your time here. College is usually only four years of your life. Why not spend it with the Carolina Housing community; it has truly felt like family! Go Heels!
Starting school at UNC was a big change for me. New people, a new environment, and more importantly a new place to call home. I remember signing up for housing in May before the following school year, and thinking “Wow, I will be living in one of these dorms this time next year.” While it is crazy to think about now, I never imagined the ways I would be impacted by my housing decisions. I have heard so many different stories about people’s experiences with roommates. When I filled out the roommate form, it was reassuring to see that schedules, preferences, and even habits were considered when deciding to go with a random roommate. Carolina Housing had a perfectly curated questionnaire that eased my mind with the decision of having a random roommate.
Now, in June, we were t-minus two months to moving in. I checked my housing portal and saw my fate, “Roommate Information: below if applicable.” I saw the name of the person I would be living with for the next year. I texted her first to get the conversation rolling. We hit it off. I was in town for orientation in July, and she drove over from Raleigh to meet up. We decided to get dinner at Cane’s even though she was vegan... iconic first dinner choice, to say the least. We went to Insomnia afterward and snacked on cookies when we sat on the quad and started to discuss our living habits and preferences. We both loved romantic T.V., like the show “One Day” on Netflix, which was a constant watch in our first semester. After we parted ways that night, I called my mom and was eager to share that we got along so well. Little did I know a great friendship awaited us.
Fast forward to August, and it was finally move in time! Marina and I moved in and began our iconic roommate story. During the first few weeks of classes, we spent every second together. We got dinner together every night and went to maybe a few too many CLE events. A big facet of our friendship was based on the fact that we lived together. In September, Marina mentioned that she would be studying abroad in the Spring through Carolina’s Spring Forward Program. She was going to be heading to Stirling, Scotland. I was heartbroken! We had become friends so quickly and were constantly laughing with one another, and I worried “If we were thousands of miles apart from one another would we still be friends?”
In December when it was time for finals, we were reminiscing on our amazing semester together, and the fact that she would soon be leaving for her Stirling semester. We enjoyed the moment and celebrated our last nights as roommates together. Marina left in mid-January for Scotland but was able to come visit and have a sleepover one last time in our dorm. We went to Cosmic Cantina and Yopo for her send-off. One too many CLE events later. This time a Halloween quad special with face painting! Ft. our RA’s great face painting!
With modern technology, our friendship would become even stronger despite the distance.
WhatsApp has become my favorite app. We send vlogs and pictures to one another every day outlining random things like grocery shopping, schoolwork, or even just an audible list of things we needed to get done. I can safely say we have sent at least a combined 100 videos while she has been abroad. We also decided to start having weekly video calls to keep up with each other and everything we are doing. We usually call every Sunday and can stay on the phone for up to an hour talking about our weeks.
I am so grateful that Marina and I have stayed in touch throughout her semester abroad!
Carolina Housing paved the way for this amazing friendship, and I’ll be forever grateful to the random roommate assigner who made that decision to pair Marina and me. I have a friend for life, and some of the best memories that made moving to a big new school ten times easier.
Shoutout to Random Roommate assignment for this amazing new friendship! Marina and I might just be the living proof that random roommate assignments can work out!
Cheers, Allie 🙂
On Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles are going head-to-head in the big game. Whether you are watching sports, commercials, the halftime show or Taylor Swift sightings, here’s some tips on how to have the best watch party possible!
First, you need a way to watch the game! Tubi is streaming the game for free so if you and your friends have a laptop, TV or phone you can stream it through there! You could also stream it on a computer in the library or go to a watch party. The International Student and Scholar Services office here at UNC is having a watch party in the Nelson Mandela Auditorium at FedEx Global Education Center!
Once you have a place to watch the game, you are free to stock up on all your favorite snacks and get ready for a fun night! You and your roommates could make guesses on how long the halftime show will be, what songs will be played and if there are any surprise guests. Even if you aren’t a big sports fan, there will be plenty of awesome commercials to see and vote on your favorites.
With these tips, hopefully you can have a super fun time viewing the big game without breaking the bank!
On Wednesday, Carolina Housing and the Office of Off-Campus Student Life hosted a virtual Housing Waitlist & Off-Campus Resources Webinar to provide students and parents with guidance on navigating the housing waitlist and exploring off-campus housing options. Led by Steven Wiley, Director of Administrative Services for Carolina Housing, and Aaron Bachenheimer, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Engagement, the webinar highlighted key insights into the housing process and resources available to support students.
Steven Wiley shared updates on the housing waitlist, emphasizing the challenges posed by fewer-than-expected cancellations and the need to prioritize first-year students. “With fewer cancellations and an anticipated larger first-year class, we’ve had to balance incoming students’ needs while addressing the waitlist,” he explained. Wiley also encouraged students on the priority waitlist to check their emails for housing hardship application details, which are due by January 30.
Aaron Bachenheimer and Chanmolis Mout, Off-Campus Student Life Coordinator, provided practical advice for students considering off-campus housing. Bachenheimer stressed the importance of planning and understanding costs beyond rent, noting, “The cost of living off-campus isn’t just about rent—you need to consider utilities, transportation, and other expenses.” Resources highlighted included roommate matching tools, one-on-one advising sessions, and legal services for lease reviews.
The webinar also previewed the upcoming Spring Housing Fair on February 5, which will feature local property representatives, free food, and plenty of swag. This event offers a great opportunity for students to explore housing options and secure their accommodations for next year.
During the Q&A session, presenters addressed common concerns, including transportation and finding reliable roommates. “Most properties are on bus lines, and Chapel Hill Transit offers free transit options,” Bachenheimer reassured attendees.
This webinar underscored Carolina Housing and the Office of Off-Campus Student Life’s commitment to supporting students in making confident housing decisions. For those who missed it, a full recording is available to explore all the valuable insights shared.
By: Anyi Li - Marketing Intern 2021-2022
I have often heard from my parents that my college roommates would be my best friends for life. Last year, as a freshman, I applied to on-campus housing after being admitted as a Tar Heel. The housing application asked questions to help me find a roommate, such as:
Then, I was assigned with my first roommate during the summer semester. Through the Housing portal’s convenient messaging system, we could connect soon after the room assignment. We shared many similar interests, but we had different takes on how strict social distancing in respect to our space and guests. Our conversation led to our mutual understanding that we may not have been the best roommates.
Thus, we decided to apply for a room reassignment prior to move-in. During the process, I expressed my unique concern with my roommate’s stance on social distancing. Carolina Housing considered my concern and reassigned me to a new residence hall, where I met four other freshmen girls who share the same view on social distancing. Not only that, but we also shared a passion for music, literature, and making fruit smoothies. We soon became best friends.
At the beginning of 2020 the pandemic started to effect UNC, and the five of us decided to thoroughly clean our suite together using cleaning alcohol and wipes. As someone who hates chores, I never imagined I could laugh so hard and enjoy so much while cleaning. Each of us would have silly but hilarious moments during the cleaning process that made the time fly. Even chores became fun. To commemorate our achievement, we took a picture of us fanning away the smell of cleaner afterward.
During the Spring 2021 housing selection, due to uncertainties with COVID-19, we didn’t apply for housing at the same time. Thus, we currently live in different residence halls this year. However, next year, we plan on living together again. As returning residents, we will apply during the priority housing selection period from Monday, October 11, to Monday, November 8. This time, we will be able to select where we want to live, together as a group!
To see details on the Housing Selection Process, please see: https://housing.unc.edu//live/apply-for-housing/how-to-apply/housing-selection/
