For students who are coming back from studying abroad, looking for a new experience, just plain tired of the dorms or unsuccessful in finding housing for next year, I suggest looking into another option that I am trying out right now: cooperative housing.
The University Cooperative Housing Association, otherwise known as the Co-op, was established in 1938. Tucked away at the intersection of Landfair Avenue and Ophir Drive, the Co-op provides inexpensive housing for students, visiting scholars, educators and others affiliated with higher education.
I know what you’re thinking. The Co-op has a rather notorious reputation for being what some might call grungy, but that perception is due to the fact that most maintenance is done by students. After two years of living comfortably and being well-fed at UCLA’s dormitories, I was hesitant to make the move. As the Co-op is located behind Frat Row, it is not known for being peaceful, calm or an ideal studying environment. Members are required to contribute four hours of labor a week to help maintain the facilities. It’s easy to see why this requirement does not sit well with students already struggling to keep up with their demanding schedules.
But the people I’ve met here and the experiences native to the Co-op have truly contributed to members’ individual growth and made living here worthwhile. For instance, at home, I would balk at cleaning my bathroom and I rarely cooked. At the Co-op, I grew accustomed to donning my hairnet and gloves, cleaning my communal bathroom and helping make breakfast and lunch for around 400 people once a week. I began to appreciate listening to different languages every day and meeting someone new at least once a week. I must say I have progressed very far in my journey of personal growth.
The Co-op is remarkably convenient; its location is reasonable and it provides furnished rooms, 19 meals a week, mail services, laundry rooms and study lounges. The Co-op has its own store and the resident social crew organizes regular activities such as ping-pong tournaments, snowboarding trips and movie nights.
Even more convenient is that housing contracts are renewable every quarter. This makes the Co-op ideal for someone who wants to take a quarter off, finds apartment leases too rigid, or is returning from studying abroad.
But with more than 400 residents, the Co-op provides an exceptional opportunity to meet students from all over the world. Students and educators from UCLA, Santa Monica College and abroad make up a truly diverse membership and community. The community that the Co-op offers is something you cannot find on the Hill or in Westwood apartments.
Residents come from different walks of life, but everyone is connected by their open-mindedness and willingness to share with others. Compared to the dorms, the cultural diversity and international spirit of the Co-op is refreshing, and this was what appealed to me the most.
If living at the Co-op sounds like a fantastic option to you, then e-mail Do at ndo@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.