THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 2008
table of contents
3
3. Laundry time
5. Cooking for yourself
6. Living on the cheap
7. Safety and security
8. Partying it up
10. Cleaning up after a party
11. Getting to campus
12. Pets in apartments
15. Tips for furry friends
16. A senior's perspective
Laundry time can be a challenge for students
BY KATY SAUNDERS editor@kansan.com
Students who are not willing to pay for their own washer and dryer can find laundromats around town.
Lisa Lopovac/KANSAN
When looking for an apartment, is having a washer and dryer a must?
Some students think it's an absolute necessity, while others do not mind spending an afternoon a week at the laundromat, doing homework and meeting new people.
Having a washer and dryer was the No.1 priority for Kathleen Male, Overland Park sophomore, when she was looking for an apartment. When she signed her lease at Hawks Pointe, Kathleen signed up for a washer and dryer unit. However, it was not installed until mid-January, halfway through her lease.
"It is much more convenient when the washer and dryer are right upstairs as opposed to the closest laundromat." Male said.
When a unit is not at your immediate disposal, prior planning is necessary. Time has to be set aside, as does spare change, and you tend to analyze your daily wardrobe choices more.
It is a different story, though, for Richard Martinez, Topea senior. He said he loved having his own unit because "your own is more clean, and you don't have to worry about laundry theft."
Andy Horigan, Wichita sophomore, makes it work. Having to set aside time to do his laundry at a nearby laundromat provides Horigan with a set homework time on either Sunday or Monday evening.
Despite his routine schedule, Horigan did say there were downsides of not having a washer and dryer in his apartment.
Martinez lives with two roommates but says their laundry schedules never conflict. He said
"Sometimes on weeknights, you have to fight for machines because either there are too many people or too many machines are broken" Horigan said. He also said it got costly and because of that, he tended to do his laundry less often.
When you have your own washer and dryer and don't need to put aside time to head to the laundromat, you won't have to worry about not being able to wear something on account of it being dirty.
he was able to do his laundry two to three days a week.
There are some problems that come with owning a washer and dryer unit in a confined space like an apartment. Martinez and Male both commented about the noisiness of the unit and the excess heat the dryer brings, especially in the summer. Both of their units are in closets, but they said the heat and noise were overwhelming at times.
You will have to decide whether having your own washer and dryer unit is actually cheaper. Sure, you don't have to hassle with quarters, but what about the water bill and any other added expenses? Kathleen Male said she paid a monthly charge just for having a unit in her apartment.
In the end, it all boils down to a convenience issue. Do you prefer hauling the dirty-clothes basket, the detergent, dryer sheets and a pouch full of quarters down a couple blocks or do you prefer to just carry the basket down the hall?
GPM
Regardless of where the laundry gets done, students find a way to make it happen.
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