A group of co-op residents laugh and talk in their living room on Sunday afternoon. The group are five of 23 living in Orion cooperative house at 501 M.A.C. Ave.
It did not take long to decide I wanted to live in a housing cooperative. It was an easy decision, and I think I’m going to benefit almost in every way.
Next year I will be living in Orion cooperative house, 501 M.A.C. Ave., and I hope it will be my college grand finale.
I am going to make 20 or more new friends. Not just acquaintances or polite friends, but the kind of friends who actually know the others’ quirks because they have lived together.
Roommates have a very distinct relationship compared to other friendships, and all of my roommates have become my closest friends.
I had a great dorm experience as a freshman, and the best part of the dorms is learning how to love people who are different from yourself.
It might take some time and patience, but by the end of my freshman year I genuinely cared about most of my dormmates — even the ones I couldn’t stand when I first met them.
Every freshman has to live in the dorms regardless of how much — or how little — they want to live with people they do not know.
People who sign up to live in a co-op actually want to live with a group of new people. I’m excited to meet people who I would not otherwise be friends with, or even meet, without living in the co-op.
This is a unique experience. I think it’s a timely one, as well.
Being young and in college, where some things just are more acceptable now than they will be in 10 years, makes this the perfect time to join a co-op.
Perhaps there will be opportunities such as this later in life, but I have a hunch that when I am 35 years old, living in a cooperative house might not be as much fun.
Co-ops actually are affordable. I am going to be saving a lot of money.
The apartment I live in now is relatively expensive, which is normal for an apartment in East Lansing.
Living in the co-op will be less expensive and Orion includes a pantry-style meal plan, parking and laundry machines.
I haven’t done my laundry this month to avoid spending 10 dollars in quarters, which I would feed to the less-than-mediocre apartment-supplied laundry machines.
Next year I won’t have this problem. I basically live on bread, cheese and coffee.
Fortunately, all of these items are included in the pantry along with other food. So, it’s safe to assume that I will eat healthier than I do now and I will smell better because I won’t cheaply avoid doing my laundry.
Also, it might be possible to save money since my overall cost of living will decrease. It’s a better deal than I have now.
Every co-op seems to have an interesting story and is full of different people. By asking around, I was able to evaluate which house was most suitable for my lifestyle and which ones were not.
People living in co-ops are great sources in helping decide which one to live in next year.
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The main reason I decided to sign a lease in Orion is because it once was called Tralfamadore. Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five” is one of my favorite books and Tralfamadore is the name of a planet in the novel.
Other persuading factors that attracted me to the house: There are live bands at all of their parties and sometimes bongo drums, as well. There’s a fancy back patio. There is an annual no-pants party.
