Valerie Carpenter

Senior from Osceola, ArkansasAnthropology Major & Residence Hall Advisor

It’s easy to get homesick the first semester and so it’s really important to get involved in the activities available. I’ve found that once a student comes to a function we have, they get hooked. They keep coming back. If you’re so busy meeting new people and having fun, you’re less likely to get homesick. As an RA, I work hard to make students feel like they have a family here, as well as wherever Mom, Dad and Grandma are.

Find your Future

Biology department Professor Dr. Janet Lanza conducts research with monarch butterflies that she and her students raise themselves. Her group finds that the butterflies may not be the smartest animals, but they are beautiful. Amino acids in plant nectars contribute to their reproduction, the research has discovered.

Housing

Whether you decide to live on campus and take advantage of the incredible Residence Hall or Apartments, or you live off campus, you can expect tons of opportunities to get involved, have some fun and meet other students.

No matter how many people you ask, the majority will say they made the right decision in choosing dorm or campus housing. It’s a great experience — even if you get a roommate who doesn’t agree with everything you say.

If you want to live on campus, UALR has a residence hall with suite-style living, a definite step-up from dorms of the past. There’s a convenience store inside that’s open late and on weekends and a theatre room for serious TV time.

Freshmen aren’t required to live on campus, but it’s a great way to meet new friends and share pizzas for the fourth meal of the day.

I wish I would have lived on campus my freshman year so that I could do more and be more involved in what was going on with the university. I spent too much of my freshman year worrying about paying rent and utilities, and not enough on meeting people and having fun. Daniel Spillers, Class of 2009, UALR Office of Computing Services.

There are many apartment complexes located around campus and across the city if you prefer off campus living. Our Campus Housing Office can give you a list of what’s available and offer recommendations.

Live on campus or off. It’s up to you. Either way, the housing office has information to offer you about living in Little Rock.