NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS From the Office for Off-Campus Living

May 2019 Congrats, gophers! We've officially made it through the Spring semester. Now if you are living in the area, or going back home over the summer, OCL will still be here with answers to your off-campus needs. Keep in touch with our newsletter, or follow us @OffCampusGopher on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, for updates on summer events, campus resources, and community progress!

-Your Off-Campus Liaisons

Tour St. Anthony Falls Laboratory This Summer...For FREE! The St. Anthony Falls Laboratory (SAFL), located on the Mississippi River at the heart of , is an interdisciplinary fluid mechanics research and educational facility of the College of Science and Engineering at the UMN. Each month, SAFL offers a free monthly public tour through their historic facility to showcase their current experimental facilities and research projects.

On June 18th, come tour the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory for free by registering here. Once registered, you will receive an email 1-2 days before your scheduled tour with details of where to meet your tour group. Be sure to register early, as spots may leave quickly!

If you are registered for attending, be sure to be prepared on the day of your tour. It is recommended on the day of your tour to:

Wear closed-toed shoes, no flip flops or sandals. Know that parking is reserved for SAFL personnel only, and that you park at these locations: Garage: 212 SE 2nd Ave Metered street parking along SE Main St, portions of SE 3rd Ave, and/or 2nd St SE. Know that bike racks are available!

More information on St. Anthony Falls tours can be found here.

First Avenue: Stories Of 's Mainroom : Stories Of Minnesota s Mainroom Since 1970, First Avenue & 7th St. Entry have been at the heart of the Minnesota music scene. Celebrate the musicians, the employees, and the regulars who called First Avenue their rock 'n' roll home.

Discover how First Avenue, its staff, and the Minneapolis music scene have changed over five decades at the Minnesota History Center's new exhibit, "First Avenue: Stories of Minnesota's Mainroom".

Around each corner you'll run into a new band, singer, or DJ, brought to life through video, photographs, and artifacts. You'll be able to:

Hear personal stories from music legends, bartenders, bouncers and more. See big-name bands in their earliest days at 7th St. Entry, including The Replacements and Hüsker Dü. Watch video clips from the club's first raucous performance by Joe Cocker in 1970 Step into the '80s-era office of long-time manager Steve McClellan and learn about the venue's inner workings. See 's iconic suit from Purple Rain and memorial items left at First Avenue after his passing.

If interested, you can find more information or buy tickets on the Minnesota History Center's website, or watch this video that details First Avenue the exhibit.

Source: http://www.mnhs.org/historycenter/activities/museum/first-avenue

Wait...When Does My Lease End Again? Many students have reported having issues with their leases ending prior to the start of their next lease - creating a "gap" where they have no apartment to live in or store all of their stuff. Because of this, it is critical that all students check their old lease and their new lease to see if there is a gap between the two.

This is an inconvenience at the least, but can also be a serious financial impediment for students already struggling just to get by. Here are some options for students who have a gap between their leases:

- First things first, email both your current landlord and your future landlord and explain the situation to them. There's no guarantee they will be able to accommodate your needs, but it's certainly worth a shot.

- For storing your stuff, we would recommend either asking a friend or keeping them in a storage locker. If you have any friends nearby that are living in a house with a little bit of storage room, we recommend you ask them if you can store your stuff there for a few days (or however long your gap is). If this isn't an option, we recommend you check out the list of storage companies in our resource directory Sadly you will likely have to rent out a of storage companies in our resource directory. Sadly, you will likely have to rent out a locker for an entire month but some of the options available aren't too expensive; Think about sharing a locker with some friends in the same situation to save money. A 10x10 space is on average $150 - $180/month.

- Finding a place to stay for a few days is also tricky. If the option is available to you, you may want to move in back with your parents for a few days. If not, you can call around to some of your friends to see if they will let you "couch surf" for a few days. If you have a few bucks to spend, you might wanna look into getting an AirBNB for the length of a "gap" (AirBNB tends to be cheaper than a typical hotel).

We understand that none of these options are ideal & that this issue is a major headache for many students. But if you follow some of the above suggestions, you might be able to turn that major headache into a slightly less major headache.

GopherWatch Monthly Safety Report: April Prepared by the Office of Off-Campus Living and neighborhood partners.

Donate your Reusables as you are packing this summer! If you are moving out still at the end of May or at the end of summer in August, take the time now to identify items you don't need that still have life in them, and donate them to the Pack & Give Back Free Store, or perhaps try to sell them on FB Marketplace or give it away via the twincitiesfreemarket.org. Donations for the Pack & Give Back Free Store can be dropped off at the ReUse program from 9am-3pm Monday-Friday this summer at (883 29th Avenue SE) Any questions from 9am-3pm Monday-Friday this summer at (883 29th Avenue SE). Any questions, reach out and ask!

Volunteers are also needed this summer to help with sorting all the free stuff to get it ready for the Free Store that runs August 26-Sept. 7th. Sign up for a one time shift or a recurring shift, it's up to you!

Renting Volunteer Opportunities

Renting an apartment or house off-campus Pratt Ice Cream Social can be very different than living in the Volunteers needed to set up/take down, residence halls. Are you prepared for the staff tables, facilitate witch's hat tower increase in responsibilities? Are you aware tours, serve food, staff games, etc. of your obligations as a renter and what you May 31, 2019, 5:30pm-8:30pm event time can expect from a landlord? (set up and take down before/after)

In particular, we'd like to remind students Use the request form to contact us for other still looking for housing to be careful & local opportunities to volunteer! vigilant in their housing search. Although time is running a little low, it is still crucial Questions about your lease or to do your research about the property & landlord? the landlord prior to signing your lease. If you're a U of M student, be sure to get And as always, feel free to check out our your potential lease looked at by other resources on our website as well. Student Legal Services before signing. They can point out any red flags and help you in making your choice.

Make an appointment Social Media Local and University Held Events

That's right! If the newsletter is not for you, Ever find yourself twiddling your thumbs on give us a follow on our 5-star rated the weekend, wishing you were Facebook page, our beautifully experiencing the Twin Cities like you photographed Instagram page, or our newly should? revamped Twitter page! They offer frequent updates for those living off-campus to stay Then look no further than these resources noticed on upcoming events for students. that can get you familiar with the area and experience within the Minnesotan culture! Facebook: @offcampusgopher Instagram: @offcampusgopher University Events Twitter: @OffCampusGopher Minneapolis and St. Paul Events Suggestions?

Have you ever had an idea of a way the Neighborhood Liaisons could help improve the community? Please reach out to us! We are always looking for opportunities to improve the area we live in. Contact us by email, and a liaison will be in contact with you ASAP!

OCL Mission:

Off-Campus Living empowers students to build connections on and off campus and live Off-Campus Living empowers students to build connections on and off campus, and live with intent.

OCL Goals:

Off-Campus students will make meaningful connections to other students, neighbors and the community. Off-Campus Living will provide educational and programmatic opportunities that promote student involvement, academic success, retention and positive community engagement. Off-Campus Living will collaborate with other university departments and local neighborhoods and towns to raise awareness of the specific needs and concerns of off- campus and commuter students.

Won't you be our neighbor?

@OffCampusGopher