More colleges are looking at emergency housing solutions, including have students sleeping in alumni’s homes, napping pods, Airbnbs and even an assisted living facility.
I had to sleep in my car from time to time when I was in college.
I’d park in a well-lit spot in an active parking lot (back in the before times, many major retailers were open 24/7) in a safer part of town. The backseats of my car were pull-downs that opened directly into the trunk. So, I’d sneakily climb through and into the trunk, then curl up back there to sleep.
It was a dark space and since nobody could see me back there, there was less chance of someone targeting me for robbery (sleeping person = easy target) or calling the cops on me (sleeping person = drugs or medical emergency). But those were still factors that added lots of stress to an already shitty situation.
I know times are harder for more people these days, but I figured I’d share since a lot of people don’t actively recognize that things were also difficult for many people back in the day as well. While there’s obviously a problem that needs to be solved here, and it sucks that we’re at a point where this is considered a solution, I would just say, don’t let perfection get in the way of progress.
Of course we should strive for a situation where everybody has a home, familial / social supports, good stable income, etc. But, also, even a little added comfort from having a safe® place to park & sleep as well as access to things like showers and bathrooms is a tiny little step in the right direction.
Well put. It’s in no way the solution, but any progress at the local level, given the little funding they’re provided, is better than waiting for foundational changes that aren’t close to being implemented. These programs are clearly helping at-need students and are at least attempting to give them a better chance of succeeding in their goals.
I had to sleep in my car from time to time when I was in college.
I’d park in a well-lit spot in an active parking lot (back in the before times, many major retailers were open 24/7) in a safer part of town. The backseats of my car were pull-downs that opened directly into the trunk. So, I’d sneakily climb through and into the trunk, then curl up back there to sleep.
It was a dark space and since nobody could see me back there, there was less chance of someone targeting me for robbery (sleeping person = easy target) or calling the cops on me (sleeping person = drugs or medical emergency). But those were still factors that added lots of stress to an already shitty situation.
I know times are harder for more people these days, but I figured I’d share since a lot of people don’t actively recognize that things were also difficult for many people back in the day as well. While there’s obviously a problem that needs to be solved here, and it sucks that we’re at a point where this is considered a solution, I would just say, don’t let perfection get in the way of progress.
Of course we should strive for a situation where everybody has a home, familial / social supports, good stable income, etc. But, also, even a little added comfort from having a safe® place to park & sleep as well as access to things like showers and bathrooms is a tiny little step in the right direction.
Well put. It’s in no way the solution, but any progress at the local level, given the little funding they’re provided, is better than waiting for foundational changes that aren’t close to being implemented. These programs are clearly helping at-need students and are at least attempting to give them a better chance of succeeding in their goals.