Approximately 20 Syracuse University students are camping out in front of Park Point Syracuse to submit their applications to live in the off-campus housing complex next year.

Though students may camp out for more than 24 hours, this does not guarantee them an apartment. Park Point begins accepting applications to live in the building at 8:30 a.m. Friday, said Marybeth Gayne, Park Point general manager.

Students began lining up outside of the building in the 80-degree heat as early as 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Gayne said.

“They’ve done this since we’ve opened,” she said. “There’s been a camping out tradition, however, this year seems to be the biggest one yet.”

Typically, Gayne said, the camp out begins at around noon the day before applications are accepted. This year, students opted to start earlier.

In the event of rain, low temperatures or other inclement weather, Gayne said, students will be welcomed into the building. She said they will likely bring the students into the lobby at some point to monitor them and that extra security is provided during the camp out.

“We felt bad for them so we handed out bottled waters and ordered pizza for them,” she said.

Marc Weber, a junior broadcast and digital journalism major who is first in line, said he began camping out yesterday at 8 p.m., as he is hoping to get one of the facility’s few 2-person apartments.

After being dissatisfied with the housing he had last year, Weber came to visit Park Point with his parents and learned about the camp out.

Some students were less than thrilled about camping out, but said they were willing to do it to secure housing at Park Point.

“I think it’s a little absurd and unnecessary, but if it’s what I need to do to get a place to live for the next two years, I will do it,” said Alexandra Resnick, an undeclared sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Resnick is hoping to get a 4-person apartment, so she said she and her roommates were able to coordinate their schedules so no one had to miss classes or homework assignments as a result of the camp out.

Originally, Resnick was unaware that students would be camping out to turn in their applications. A friend who currently lives in Park Point called her to tell her that a line was forming, prompting Resnick and her friends to get organized.

 

Published on September 13, 2012 at 6:04 pm

Contact Casey: cffabris@syr.edu | @caseyfabris