By Kana Matsukawa

The record-breaking number of student enrollment keeps off campus freshman residents away from finding their community on campus.

The University of Arkansas has seen a record number of student enrollment. The university welcomed more than 7,000 new freshmen for the 2022-2023 academic year, and total enrollment reached 30,936 for the first time in history. The enrollment rate this year increased to 8.3% compared to the previous year, which is one of the largest increases in the past decades, according to the university. 

Due to the record-breaking enrollment, university housing has been struggling to assign students to on-campus housing. 

Currently, there are 20 dorms with about 6,200 beds on campus, according to University Housing. However, considering the number of incoming freshmen and total student enrollment, these numbers are not enough to provide all students requesting on-campus housing with a place to live. 

Christopher Spencer, University Housing Assistant Director for Marketing and Strategic Communications, said University Housing has housing contracts with about 7,200 students, including 6,200 students on campus and 1,000 students housed in off-campus apartments. 

“In Spring 2022, in anticipation of a large first-year student class, University Housing contracted with four off-campus apartment complexes to secure housing for an additional 1,000 beds,” Spencer said. “We anticipate a similar process will be needed for the 2023-2024 academic year.”

Some freshmen, especially, those who are from outside of Fayetteville said living off campus makes their college life difficult because they are new and unfamiliar with the geography, people and the like. 

Ariadna Ramirez, a freshman, said she was planning to live on campus at first. 

“I wanted to live in Founders because it’s right there, but there was no space,” Ramirez said. “Then, I wanted to live in Gibson, and no space left either.”

Fernanda Arellano, a freshman, said she struggled to find a place to live next semester. 

“It was hard for us to find an apartment because we didn’t know we had to apply so early,” Arellano said. “When we tried to find an apartment in December, most of the apartments were around $1,000, which is so expensive and  it’s hard to afford that price.”

Freshman Gleann Buffington currently lives in The Marshall, an off campus apartment complex.

 “It’s really different because I don’t know a lot of people here since I’m from Little Rock,” Buffington said. “When it snows, a lot of people go outside on campus and sled. It’s kind of lonely to be in the apartment, but I like the space.”

Buffington said she feels she needs to put herself out there to expand her community.

“I feel like it’s just difficult to make friends living off campus. I love having my own space but I have to talk a lot to make friends,” Buffington said. 

International freshmen living off campus also experience difficulties finding their place on campus.

Misuly Yisseth Cendo, a freshman from Panama, currently lives in Alight Fayetteville, another off campus apartment with her three Panamanian roommates. Crendo said it is easy for her to put herself in the Panamanian community and make friends there. 

“Making new Panamanian friends is not difficult for me but speaking of American friends, it’s difficult,” Credo said. 

Crendo said she lived in Pomfret  last year during her time in the Spring International Language Center, and she has found some differences between living on campus and off campus. 

 “Living in the dorm on campus, we go to dining halls and we sometimes talk to American people and that would be an opportunity to make new people,” Crendo said. 

“Living off campus, it’s not usual to talk to someone that we don’t know, and that makes it difficult to make friends.”. 

Credo said she tries to talk to her classmates, but she struggles with it because of the difference in languages.

“Sometimes, I don’t understand what they are saying,” Credo said. 

Spencer said housing is going to focus on finding means for these students to easily connect and see what the campus has to offer. Some of these activities include sports such as tennis and pickleball while serving food. 

Spencer said University Housing aims to offer a place for these off campus students to interact with other students. 

Spencer saidUniversity Housing is also working with the Multicultural Center to include events such as an Off-Campus Apartment Mixer to help connect more students.

Even though the students never run out of concerns, University Housing is always there for them to offer a helping hand, Arellano said.