How to get ahead in the UT Austin Housing Hustle: Off-campus dorms (SRD), North campus houses, etc. [ANNA GRACE]

Anna Grace: And I remember thinking, well, shoot, I don’t have a place to live or anybody to live with because everybody has already figured it out. And I also hadn’t found my close friend group yet. 

Laura: Right. Cause you had just rushed. Literally, like the week before.

Anna Grace: Yes. I only knew a few names.  So I felt really worried. I cried and I was upset.

Laura: They say college is the best four years of your life, and where you live and who you live with is an important part of that experience. I’m Laura. I talk with students across the country about their college living experiences, the good, the bad, and the memorable, so you can learn from them and truly make these your best four. 

This episode is brought to you by Rambler Austin. Rambler is a student apartment located in West Campus just blocks away from the University of Texas. Y’all, this place is stunning. The first time that I walked in, I was absolutely blown away. I want you to think Tulum meets Austin meets retro. Also, the amenities are insane.

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Laura: Today, I’m here with Anna Grace. Hi, Anna Grace. How are you?

Anna Grace: Good. How are you?

Laura: I’m good. Thank you so much for being here with us today.

Anna Grace: Of course. I’m so excited.

Laura: We’re going to just talk a little bit about your college experience. Would you say that college was the best four years of your life?

Anna Grace: I definitely would say, so far, college was the best four years of my life.

Laura: Yeah. And you just graduated, right?

Anna Grace: Yes, I just graduated in May.

Laura: Yeah. What did you study? Like, what was your major?

Anna Grace: Yes, I was an education major.

Laura: Okay, cool. Awesome. And you’re originally from Austin too, right?

Anna Grace: Yes. I’m born and raised in Austin. I grew up in Northwest Hills. And I love it here, and I never wanna leave. 

Laura: Yeah. And so was that a big part of your decision of going to UT? Like why did you decide to go there?

Anna Grace: Definitely. I grew up a Longhorn. My dad went to UT and so did my older three siblings. So it was just kind of always on my radar and my dream school.

Laura: Yeah. Like runs in the family.

Anna Grace: Yeah. So I totally wanted to, I always wanted to go to UT. 

Laura: Yeah. Did you apply to any other schools or was it just?

Anna Grace: Yes. My mom made me apply to 15 schools, so I applied to many other schools, but I always only wanted to go to UT. My mom was going to force me to go to Baylor if I didn’t get into UT.

Laura: Where did your mom go?

Anna Grace: She went to Baylor.

Laura: Okay, that makes sense.

Anna Grace: Yeah, but I always wanted to go to UT.

Laura: Yeah. So, you said that your three older sisters. Was it sister or?

Anna Grace: It’s two brothers, one sister. 

Laura: Two brothers and one sister. And they all went to UT?

Anna Grace: Mm hmm. 

Laura: And then when you got in, were they helpful in kind of showing you the ropes or telling you where to live your freshman year?

Anna Grace: I think that they were helpful, but at the same time they really wanted me to do my own thing. My sister told me, freshman year, that she lived at SRD and loved it. So she was encouraging me to stay there. And then my brothers lived at Callaway. And so they kind of were like, “you would probably enjoy an all girls dorm. So you should probably live there.”

Laura: And you ended up living at SRD?

Anna Grace: Yes, I ended up living at SRD.

Laura: So for people that don’t know, like, our listeners that don’t know what SRD is, can you tell me a little bit more about SRD and your experience living there? 

Anna Grace: Totally, um, SRD is an, um, all girls dorm off campus, but it’s near campus. It’s right next to campus. Walkable to everything. Um, and it’s big and it’s beautiful. It feels like your fancy grandma’s house, kind of. Best way to put it. Um, the food’s great.

Laura: Where is it like close to on campus?

Anna Grace: It’s across the street from in n out and next to Fiji, the fraternity.

Laura: And so what was your experience? So you decided to live at SRD because your sister lived at SRD. And was that the only dorm that you applied to? How does it work, getting a dorm at UT?

Anna Grace: So I only applied to Hardin and SRD,  um, which are both the all girls dorms, but they’re off campus. I never really wanted to live in the on campus dorms.

Laura: Why not? And you can be totally honest.

Anna Grace: Um, just because. No, just because these were nicer and I felt like they were all girls and I just felt like it was a better option for me. And I was thankful that I was able to have those options to be able to live in the off campus dorm. Um, so yeah, I just definitely wanted to live in one of those and then I didn’t know if I was gonna get into UT. So, I was like I could live at Hardin, but I didn’t know a lot of ACC girls living at Hardin. So I was like, okay, I know SRD girls who don’t go to UT, still want to be involved in UT life, but go to ACC.

Laura: So for those that don’t know, ACC is Austin Community College. 

Anna Grace: Correct.  

Laura: Yeah, and why, so I guess if you didn’t get into UT, why would you go to ACC first? 

Anna Grace: I really wanted to go to UT and I wanted to stay in Austin, so I felt like I could go to ACC and work really hard to transfer into UT my sophomore year. 

Laura: And you said that there were girls that were living at SRD that would also be going to ACC?

Anna Grace: Yes, and also St. Ed’s, which is a private school in Austin, a college.

Laura: So a lot of people that don’t get into UT might go to ACC or St. Ed’s their first year and then transfer in?

Anna Grace: Yes.

Laura: Cool, so you mentioned not wanting to live in an on campus dorm. You wanted to be off campus. What are, could you kind of tell me a little bit about like some of the differences between an on campus dorm versus an off campus?

Anna Grace: Yes, I honestly don’t know a lot about the on campus dorms. I don’t, I’ve never been in one. 

Laura: Right. Did you have friends that lived in on campus dorms ever?

Anna Grace: On campus? Some of my cheer friends lived in on campus dorms, which I feel like athletes do.

Laura: Are they required? 

Anna Grace: Not for all athletes, but most athletes the first year.

Laura: Aside from your siblings, what other information did you have about on campus housing at UT? Or was that your only source of info?

Anna Grace: That was kind of  my only source of info. I, yeah, I didn’t know much about on campus living. I knew that it was an option, but I knew that my sister lived at SRD, and I knew I wanted to rush, so I also knew that a lot of girls who rush lived at SRD or Hardin.

Laura: And you were planning on rushing? Anna Grace: Yes.

Laura: Yeah, and what did you end up going? 

Anna Grace: I ended up going Kappa.

Laura: Okay, cool. Um, so kind of going back into applying for SRD and Hardin, how early did you do that? Like, you did it before you were accepted?

Anna Grace: Yeah, uh huh. 

Laura: How early?

Anna Grace: I’m pretty sure I did it my junior year of high school. So pretty early. I applied- Because I remember my mom saying that we needed to apply and I remember thinking wow, that’s crazy, I don’t even know if that’s where I’m going to end up. I was hopeful, but yeah.

Laura: That’s funny. I was talking to somebody earlier today and they mentioned that, um, there’s like Facebook groups for Hardin. And people will be like class of 2036, and it’s like a literal baby. And people will like lock in housing for their babies to like go live in Hardin House. Is that like, are people really intense about Hardin?

Anna Grace: Super intense, super intense. And it’s an awesome place to live. And there were definitely moments that I wish I lived in Hardin. It’s not a regret because I loved the girls I met at SRD and the community I had there. But Hardin was just so much fun, and all the girls were super close, and did all the things.

Laura: Was it smaller than SRD?

Anna Grace: Yes. And it’s not as nice. It’s old.

Laura: Hardin’s not?

Anna Grace: No. It’s super, super old.

Laura: So what’s like the draw, like what’s the appeal, I guess, of Hardin over SRD?

Anna Grace: Hardin’s pretty much a sorority. Almost. I mean, I don’t think I have the right to say that because I wasn’t, I didn’t live there, but it’s kind of like a community.

Laura: But that’s like the aura of Hardin, is like a sorority?

Anna Grace: It’s a community and they do events and they have reunions and it’s just kind of like the thing.

Laura: Do a lot of girls that live at Hardin end up rushing?

Anna Grace: Yes. Most girls end up rushing.

Laura: But they still, kind of, stay really close with each other?

Anna Grace: I think so.

Laura: And are you still friends with people that you lived with at SRD?

Anna Grace: Yes, I’m still really close with the girls I lived with on my hall.

Laura: That’s amazing. So you would say that you enjoyed your experience living at SRD?

Anna Grace: Yes, there were definitely hard times.

Laura: Can you tell me a little bit more about those hard times? 

Anna Grace: I think it was hard transitioning into a dorm room, small living, and also there were a lot of rules. But keep in mind this was COVID, so it’s 2020. And I remember thinking, I’m supposed to be in college, and I’m supposed to do what I want, come home when I want, that kind of thing, and it felt a little bit like there were all these rules in place, and um, I struggled with that.

I’m not a rule breaker, so I don’t break the rules. So I follow the rules. 

Laura: Yeah. But you were like, this is college. I’m supposed to be able to, like, have fun and like be out of my parents house and like experience things I’ve never experienced before. And it just kind of felt a bit similar?

Anna Grace: Totally. Yes. But I got lucky with the girls that lived on my floor in my hall. And that was so much fun and we had a blast, ran around the halls together, and we’re still friends, so.

Laura: Yeah. And then your sophomore year, you moved to Villas at San Gabriel.

Anna Grace: I lived in Villas on San Gabriel in an apartment.

Laura: Why did you decide to move there? 

Anna Grace: Um, the older girls who were Kappas were living there. And so they basically said, you guys should live here too. And so then we decided to live there.

Laura: And you mentioned to me that that was like the week that you rushed, right? Like the week that you rushed Kappa?

Anna Grace: It was like a week after I rushed Kappa.

Laura: Yeah, can you tell me a little bit about that story?

Anna Grace: Yes, so it was actually really interesting. I didn’t know much about sophomore year living and didn’t think I needed to figure it out anytime soon. And I remember I was at cheer practice and then I came home and everybody had figured out what rooms they were living in and that they were all living in villas

Laura: Okay. Yeah.

Anna Grace: on San Gabriel. And I remember thinking thinking, well shoot, I don’t have a place to live or anybody to live with because everybody has already figured it out. And I also hadn’t found my close friend group yet.

Laura: Right, because you had just rushed. Literally. Like the week before.

Anna Grace: Yes. It was like, I only knew a few names. And so I felt really worried. I cried and I was upset and didn’t know  what to do. Luckily I ran down the hall to my Kappa girlfriend at SRD and I was like, Grace, what do I do? I need to live with you.

Laura: Right. Because you, your other roommate, right, rushed Chi O?

Anna Grace: Yes, she was a Chi O.

Laura: And she was like “come live at Moontower with us?”

Anna Grace: Yes. And she was like, all the Chi O’s are going to Moontower live with us. And I was like, well that sounds really fun and I love living with you, but I also really wanna get to know my PC. So I, um, talked to my friend Grace, who was a Kappa, and to Kendra, and I just said I want to live with y’all. I don’t know what’s going on. 

And they were like, no big deal. You can live with us. And I was like great, okay. And so, and then they said, we’re going to live with these three other girls who I didn’t know. And I was like, whatever, that’s great. And they’re all Kappas and okay. 

Laura: And so you like, when did you sign your lease? Like the next day or like?

Anna Grace: I don’t even remember. I think so. 

Laura: It was, like, such a whirlwind.

Anna Grace: It was such a whirlwind. I remember going to bed thinking, oh my gosh.

Laura: Like what did I just do? And how was that experience like, then living with three girls that you, you know, didn’t know very well?

Anna Grace: It was, it was actually awesome. It went really smoothly. Um, it was kind of nice. We were all in different, ended up being in different friend groups. 

Laura: Okay, in Kappa. Yeah.

Anna Grace: Yes, within Kappa, but it was really, really fun just because we all did our own thing. But then, when we were all together at big parties or whatnot, it was, we all got along really well and that went really smoothly.

Laura: Yeah. So it’s an older apartment, right?

Anna Grace: No. Well, it’s like, when I moved in it had only been up I think for four years or something like that.

Laura: Okay. So not like a new dev?

Anna Grace: It was new, but it wasn’t new new, you know.

Laura: And what was your experience, like, living somewhere that wasn’t brand new?

Anna Grace: Yeah. It was, it was nice. Um, but I will say, like, move in was chaotic.

Laura: Okay. 

Anna Grace: The elevator, there’s only one elevator and we all had the same move in day.

Laura: Wow. 

Anna Grace: And it was literally horrible.

Laura: Do they have white glove movers or you had to move all of your stuff? 

Anna Grace: We had to move all of our stuff, so all of our dads and brothers and boyfriends were helping. And it was one little elevator, and we would stack everything in, and then people started just taking the stairs because the elevator would break and then it would stop. And it was just, it was horrible to be honest. 

And I was on the sixth floor. And then, um, there were just things like that, and there were a lot of, um, rooms without windows, which was hard. Luckily I didn’t get one of those.

Laura: In SRD, did all the rooms have windows? Anna Grace:  I, I believe so. Yeah. And so that was hard for a lot of my friends who didn’t have a window. It was just kind of depressing.

Laura: Big adjustment, yeah.

Anna Grace: And it was nice to live in an apartment, but I think there were a lot of little things that needed adjusting that made it hard to live there.

Laura: Yeah, I wanted to ask about that. Like moving from, like going from a dorm to an apartment, what did that feel like? 

Anna Grace: It was, it was fun. It felt like the next step, definitely. I think that I love to bake and cook and clean, have my own room, that kind of thing. So I loved the apartment living situation and I got to live with four other girls, or five other girls, so it was so fun. It was like a dorm, but I also got my own space. 

Laura: Looking back, do you wish that maybe you would have lived off campus your first year? Or do you still love that you had, like, the dorm experience?

Anna Grace: I’m glad I had the dorm experience. I think that, um, it was easy to meet people in a dorm. And they had events, and, you know, it didn’t feel as lonely, and you had a roommate. 

Laura: Did Villas have events?

Anna Grace: No, nothing. 

Laura: So do you think if you would have lived maybe in villas your first year, it would have been a lot harder for you to make friends?

Anna Grace: Yes. Living in Villas definitely was secluding for a lot of people. Um, I think if you wanted to be in your room and stay in your room, you definitely could, and nobody would really notice. 

Laura: Yeah, and no one would know. But in a dorm it’s different?

Anna Grace: In a dorm it’s different because you have a roommate. And I think your roommates would know in Villas in your actual room, but it was, yeah, it definitely could get dark.

Laura: Yeah. And then you moved from dorm to apartment, and also from campus to West Campus? 

Anna Grace: Yes.

Laura: So what was your experience like living in West Campus your first year?

Anna Grace: I loved West Campus. I thought it was really fun. It was so lively. I could walk to the market. I could, you know, it was close to all the events I wanted to go to, or Starbucks or whatnot. I did love that. I feel like I like more of a quiet life, but it was fun for a year, and definitely in the stage of life I was in, it was perfect.

Laura: Yeah, something that you had to experience.

Anna Grace: Yeah, definitely.

Laura: So, your junior year, you moved into the Kappa house. Can you tell me a little bit about who lives in the Kappa house? Is it sophomores, juniors, exec?

Anna Grace: It’s juniors. Only juniors.

Laura: Only juniors live in the Kappa house. And what was your experience like living in the Kappa house?

Anna Grace: I loved living in the Kappa house. Um, I think it was definitely hard to go from an apartment to a tiny dorm situation.

Laura: Yeah, like, you were kind of like, regressing, like, 

going backwards.

Laura: How many, like, people did you share a room with?

Anna Grace: Only one. My best friend, Becca, and thank goodness we live together, because it was definitely an adjustment living in the tiny little shoe box.

Laura: Yeah. How many girls in the house total? 

Anna Grace: Gosh, I might get this completely wrong, but I think it’s around 60.

Laura: Okay. I was going to guess 60, so that sounds right.

Anna Grace: I think it’s 60.

Laura: Yeah. And so tell me a little bit more about your experience living with Becca, your best friend.

Anna Grace: My bestie. Um, it was super fun. I felt like Kappa was, it was fun to live with that many girls. I think the food thing was hard for me. Um, I love to cook and the buffet kind of thing. The food was always delicious, but I like to cook and it’s a way of just kind of escaping, so that was hard. And definitely if I needed alone time or anything like that, you can’t find that.

But, at times, that was really awesome because nobody was left behind and everybody was always together. We were always in the Lillian, which is the big TV room, and just sitting on the sofas. People were sitting on the floor when there weren’t room for anyone on the sofas. People were sitting on the floor when there weren’t room for anybody on the sofas. So, that was always really fun. Um, and we had awesome housekeepers that helped us keep our rooms clean and were also like-

Laura: With 60 people, you need the help.

Anna Grace: Yes, yes, and they were like, became our second moms. I mean, they would hug us and tell us have a good day every morning. Things like that that made it feel like home away from home.

Laura: Yeah, that’s nice. Did you go home a lot, because you are from Austin? Or did you, you know, you’re like, I’m independent now.

Anna Grace: I did go home sometimes, but not all that often.  And when I did go home, I was bringing my friends over, usually, to hang out in the backyard or for them  to do laundry.

Laura: Laundry. Yeah. Okay. Talk about laundry a little bit. What was, like, dorm to apartment, and then kappa house?

Anna Grace: In SRD, my mom did my laundry. I would drop it off weekly, um, because at SRD there were a bunch of laundries, but you had to pay for it.

Anna Grace: And I was like-

Laura: That feels a little weird.

Anna Grace: Yeah, and I kind of thought to myself, might as well just have my mom clean it and fold it for free.

Laura: Especially like Northwest Hills is like, what, like 10 minutes down the road?

Anna Grace: It’s like a 15 minute drive to my house. And my mom had just become an empty nester, so she was, you know, longing.

Laura: She wanted to do the laundry.

Anna Grace: Yeah, she loved it. And I loved it too. Um, and then when I was in Villas, we had a washer 

and dryer in our apartment. So that was easy. And then in Kappa, it was a little hard because everybody was always doing their laundry. And it was rare-

Laura: I mean, did you only have one set of one washer and dryer?

Anna Grace: We had three sets, I think, or four. Um, and it was definitely hard. And when somebody’s timer was up, you’ve got to tell them, get your stuff out, I got to put my stuff in. Um, so that was a little more difficult, but I didn’t bring my laundry home then. Um, so yeah.

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And then your senior year, and this is something that I’m really excited to talk about, is you lived in Steck house?

Anna Grace: Steck house, yes. 

Laura: Okay. And that’s a passed down house? 

Anna Grace: Yes, I believe so. It’s, like, been passed down for a couple years of Kappas. And I think, yeah, I think it’s just kappas that it’s been passed down for. So it’s just friends, sisters, and their older sisters.

Laura: Yeah. And what is a passed down house? Can you tell me, like?

Anna Grace: It’s kind of hard to explain, so bear with me. So, this is how I learned about it. There are these certain houses that are booked for years and years in advance. And so say-

I’ll say a scenario. My older sister, who is four years older than me, her senior year, she lived at Steck House.

She calls my mom and says, “it’s the best thing ever, I love it so much. If Anna Grace goes to UT, she has to live here, so we should talk to the agency or leasing agency, whoever’s in charge of the house.”

Laura: Cause they’re all owned by one? 

Anna Grace: Yeah. Carter Joseph I think is his name. Or Carter or something.

Laura: And what you just mentioned, it’s like what, what properties, what is it called?

Anna Grace: Yeah, Joseph Properties?

Laura: Is it Limelight?

Anna Grace: Oh yeah. Limelights. So then, my mom or me would email and say, hey, my sister lives there. I’m planning to go to UT. I want to reserve the house and they’ll let you do it. 

Laura: Four years in advance?

Anna Grace: Four years in advance.

Laura: Wow. So what, what is the big deal about these houses?  Like why are people booking them, like, four years in advance? Or why do you think?

Anna Grace: I don’t know, I guess it’s just the thing to do. And it’s kind of, you know, reliable. We know 

that those people, like my sister. Or my friend’s sister lived there with her 30 girlfriends and they all got to live together. So why don’t we do that?

Laura: And it’s 30 people?

Anna Grace: Mm-Hmm.

Laura: Not in just one house, right? It’s like a little community. What is that?

Anna Grace: Kind of.

Laura: What does it look like? Or not like physically look, but what is it, like, what’s the setup?

Anna Grace: So think, there’s a big square land. And there’s a gate around it. And then there’s around four houses upstairs downstairs, but they’re disconnected.

Laura: Okay, so two separate entires? Like not connected at all?

Anna Grace: Two different rooms, two different kitchens, everything. And the first house fits I think it’s five upstairs and like seven downstairs. And then the other houses fit a different number. So yeah. Four upstairs, three downstairs. Just that kind of thing.

Laura: And they feel like houses, not apartments?

Anna Grace: It’s a mix. It kind of feels, it feels like a house, but it also feels like an apartment.

Laura: Okay. And you mentioned that there’s other passed down houses. Where are they? Because this one was in North Campus?

Anna Grace: This one’s in North Campus.

Laura: There are other ones? 

Anna Grace: Yes, there’s one in, three in West Campus or a couple more. And then a couple in North Campus.

Laura: Okay, So they’re a bit spread out. So it’s not just one. And you told me that you locked your senior year in. Because I remember when I first met you, we met because you were a brand ambassador for Rambler. And I remember like, do you want to live here? And you’re like, I’m so sorry, like, I really would, but, like, I locked my housing in senior year. Like two years ago, basically when you were a sophomore, right? Tell me about that process. Like how did that happen?

Anna Grace: Yeah, I was a sophomore and- 

Laura: So you were living at villas.

Anna Grace: I was living at villas and this is when I started to kind of get in my groove, found my close friends. I can’t, I remember, but kind of don’t remember one of my friends said, my sister lived at Steck House if you guys want to live with me. 

Laura: Your senior year.

Anna Grace: I already locked it down and I’m going to live at Steck House so do you guys want to come? And I remember thinking, sure, I don’t have anywhere to live senior year. Why not? I’ll do it.

Laura: Like why would you?

Anna Grace: Right. Yeah, sure. Sign me up. And then it was another, she kind of found everybody. And then that’s when, then we kind of tried to find rooms. 

Laura: Right.

Anna Grace: So we figured out everybody who’s going to live there.

Laura: And that kind of happened like naturally. You mentioned that you tried to get in, right, your freshman year? And that didn’t work out?

Anna Grace: Yes. My brother said you’ve got to lock down limelight. One of the senior girls limelight.

Laura: So that’s another limelight? Okay.

Anna Grace: Yeah. So I was like, oh, okay. I had no idea. I was like sure. And he said, email these people. I was like great, okay. So I emailed them and they said, oh sorry, actually another group already locked it down. So then I was like, okay, yeah, whatever. Um, I’m just going to let it go. I know that I’ll figure it out. And, um, so then my friend Francis reached out about Steck House and it ended up working out perfectly. 

Laura: Sophmore year?

Anna Grace: Sophmore year, yeah.

Laura: And do, like, looking back, locking in your housing senior year with people that, like, you kind of were getting to know, like, how did that go? Like, you know, you live, did you live with her sophomore year? Okay.

Anna Grace: No. 

Laura: So you kind of just like knew and then?

Anna Grace: I kind of feel like that was how my four years was. For every single living four years. Freshman year, I kind of knew my roommate.

Laura: Right. 

Anna Grace: We knew of each other.

Laura: Yeah. Wait, how did you find your freshman year roommate? We didn’t talk about that. 

Anna Grace: Um, she went to the school I used to go to in elementary school. And so we had mutual friends. And we had met at camp.

Laura: Okay.

Anna Grace: Um, I was working at the camp, a family camp, and she and her family came. So I had known of her and she reached out to me and said, hey, do you want to be roommates? And I hadn’t gotten in to UT and I said, I’m dying to be your roommate, but I don’t know if I’m gonna get in. But, I’m for sure gonna go to ACC. Would you be okay with living with an ACC roommate? I was like, I’m not going to rush.

Laura: Oh, so you can live in a UT dorm if you go to ACC?

Anna Grace: Well since it’s off campus. Or since it’s SRD, it’s private living.

Laura: So you can go to ACC. Okay. This makes sense now. Because before, I was like, why are ACC girls-

Got it. So you can go to ACC or you can go to St. Ed’s, and you can live at SRD.

Anna Grace: And so I asked her. I said if you’re okay with that, because I’ll be at ACC, and I won’t be able to rush. Like, I don’t know if that’s okay with you. And she was so kind. She was like, no, I just wanna live with you.

Laura: Yeah.

Anna Grace: And I was like, great, okay, that sounds awesome. So then I moved in with- I ended up getting into UT luckily. So it ended up working out.

Laura: So you mentioned right before that you said all of your roommates and all of your housing experiences kind of happened. Like you kind of just like stumbled into them?

Anna Grace: Yeah, I definitely feel like all four years I kind of knew all of my roommates. I didn’t fully know. Um, so like freshman year, I kind of knew my freshman year roommate, but not really. Just through mutual friends. And then sophomore year, I knew two of them really well, but not the rest. Junior year, I guess, is the year I got to live with my best friend.

Laura: Your best friend, yeah.

Anna Grace: So I totally knew her. And then senior year, I knew the girls pretty well, but I still, you know, I was only a sophomore when I knew that, it just ended up being super awesome that we ended up being super close. So senior year ended up being perfect.

Laura: So it all worked out locking in your senior year housing, sophomore year. So you don’t, you don’t ever like regret like locking in that early?

Anna Grace: No, I don’t, because it ended up working out, but definitely when I was in it, I was worried and stressed. And so were the people around me. I remember one of my best friends was like, I don’t know. She was talking about senior year housing and she was in the car and she was just saying, I don’t know half of these girls and I don’t know if I’m going to like living there. I don’t know if this was the right decision and it ended up working out and she loves it and I love it. 

Laura: Yeah. Yeah. So tell me about living in Steck House.

Anna Grace: I love it. It’s the best place

Laura: Do you still live there?

Anna Grace: Mm-hmm.

Laura: Okay. I was like that was in past tense. Like, yeah.

Anna Grace: No, I move out in July.

Laura: Okay. So soon.

Anna Grace: But it’s definitely my favorite place I’ve lived. Um, I love that it feels like a sorority house. It’s 30 girls, but-

Laura: You’re all separate?

Anna Grace: Yes, but we’re all seperate. I have my own space and my own living room, my own kitchen. I just love that. And it’s definitely been the most amazing experience.

Laura: Yeah. And it’s in North Campus?

Anna Grace: And it’s in North Campus, so I love taking walks in the neighborhood. It’s quieter and we are in the Hyde Park neighborhood, kind of, so we go to the First Light Coffee and go to Tiny Grocer and it just feels more homey. In the neighborhood, you know.

Laura: What would you consider North Campus? I’ve heard, like, different things from different people. So, like, your definition of, like, North Campus. 

Anna Grace: Probably, yeah, under 35th.

Laura: Under 35th Street?

Anna Grace: And it starts where Taco Joint and the Delt House. And what’s that little Dive Bar?

Laura: Taco Joint and Delt House.

Anna Grace: Yeah. 

Laura: Okay, so Taco Joint, Delt House, and then like to 35th.

Anna Grace: Yes. That’s all North Campus. 

Laura: I like, I agree with you that it’s, it’s a neighborhood. It’s so different than West Campus. 

Anna Grace: So different, and I love West Campus. It has this different feel, and it’s lively, and it’s fun. North Campus is definitely good for seniors. 

Laura: Yeah, so seniors, upperclassmen, would you say like a good place for them to live? What about like graduate students? Like, would you say that a lot of graduate students are up there? Because you’re going to grad school? At UT?

Anna Grace: Yes. I’m going to grad school at UT.

Laura: Yeah. And you’re moving, so you’re moving from Steck House to Avanuji in a house? 

Anna Grace: In a house.

Laura: Oh my gosh, fun. Looking back, um, I guess is there anything that maybe you would have done differently in terms of where you lived or does everything feel like it worked out?

Anna Grace: I feel like everything truly did. I feel like it worked out just because of the people I lived with. I wouldn’t necessarily say the places. It was more so the people.

Laura: Yeah. And that’s important. I mean, I think that’s really important. So you didn’t have any like bad roommate experiences or anything ever? No crazy stories for us?

Anna Grace: No crazy stories.

Laura: What was like, your favorite memory from like any of the places that you lived? Do you have one that kind of sticks out?

Anna Grace: Probably one of my favorite memories was in the Kappa house. I forget who put it together, but one of the girls said we should do a talent show and it was hilarious. We all signed up on a Google form and we decided Thursday night at seven o’clock and we went downstairs, had dinner, moved all of the tables, and had different routines, and different, just bizarre, hidden talents, and prank calls, and girls went up and said- 

Laura: What was your talent?

Anna Grace: Uh, I did a dance routine with my friend. 

Laura: Yeah. One girl went up and did an apology to her sister because they were in a fight. We ended up inviting the whole PC, or the whole chapter. Sorry. So it was just hilarious. 

Laura: That was her talent?

Anna Grace: Her talent, she literally went up, got her notes page out and apologized to her sister. 

Laura: She’s like, my talent is accepting when I was wrong. Yeah. That’s my talent.

Anna Grace: I’m owning up to being a fool.

Laura: That’s hilarious, I love that. What is one piece of advice that you would give an incoming UT student when it comes to housing, choosing where to live?

Anna Grace: Trusting that it’s all going to work out. I think also my main thing about college in general is you’re never stuck. You know, you can always get through a year. If you’re having a horrible time or living in a horrible place or even in a horrible situation, it will only be a year and you’re never stuck. You can always find plugs to get out of it or find resources or friends to lean on. That’s definitely my biggest advice.

Laura: That’s good. And then looking forward, because you just graduated, what are you doing next? 

Anna Grace: Next, I’m going to UT for special education graduate school. 

Laura: Amazing.

Anna Grace: I’m super excited. And I’m working full time at a school in Austin.

Laura: It’s a school that you went to, right? 

Anna Grace: And it’s the school that I went to, yes. 

Laura: Full circle.

Anna Grace: Full circle. I’m super excited. And I’m working in their learning disability center.

Laura: Okay. And what is it, like, what do you want to do? Like, what’s your end goal?

Anna Grace: My ultimate goal, it’s a big dream, but I would love to open a disability center at the school that I’m working at. Right now we have learning disabilities, but we don’t have full disabilities. So I would like to open that.

Laura: That’s amazing.

Anna Grace: So we’ll see.

Laura: Yeah. Thank you so much for coming on. 

Anna Grace: Thanks for having me.

Laura: Yeah, and taking the time and sharing your experiences. I hope that people can learn from them and have a little bit more information about coming into UT and where to live. Yeah. And we will see you guys next time.

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