Sonoma State University is excited to offer several award-winning housing options for students to live on campus during the 2021-2022 school year. The housing applications for this coming school year are now open for students to complete by May 1.

Living on campus allows students to be within close proximity to all the amenities Sonoma State has to offer, such as the recreation center, dining hall, classrooms, library and many more.

Junior at SSU, Gianna Lendino, has lived on campus for three years. “I have loved my experience living on campus. I am so lucky to have such a great community around me and have the convenience of classes being so close” Lendino shared. Many SSU students find living on campus to be helpful in terms of focus and staying motivated with their school work. During a typical semester, students enjoy studying in the library or at various spots on campus.

Erin Boyle, a freshman at SSU, chose to live at home during the Fall 2020 semester, but while living at home, she discovered that it was far more difficult to focus on her classes. “I found it hard to finish my school work because I was lacking motivation. Living on campus has given me the motivation to do better in school,” Boyle said.

Not only is living on campus convenient, but it allows students to open their eyes to all the different ways to get involved on campus that are all within close proximity. Each village’s Resident Advisors plan events to allow students to adjust to life on-campus and at Sonoma State.

“Living on campus has definitely helped me get more involved. My sophomore year I became involved in Greek Life on campus and had the opportunity to serve in a leadership position within the organization,” Lendino went on to share. “Living on campus exposed me to the various clubs SSU has to offer. When I learned about the clubs at SSU, I decided to join the Professional Sales and Marketing club on campus.”

Even though college might look different for students at the moment, SSU remains optimistic about allowing students to live on campus in the fall. Safety is Sonoma State’s top priority when welcoming students back to campus.

“Through living on campus, I feel like I have learned about all the different things happening at SSU. Prior to moving on campus in the spring, I joined Greek Life on campus. Moving on campus allowed me to make a closer connection with the other members of my organization,” Boyle said.

Safety has always been the first priority for those currently living on campus during the Spring 2021 semester. Sonoma State has implemented plenty of new safety measures in place to keep them safe while living on campus during the pandemic. Stacey Murray, Interim Director of Residential Education and Campus Housing, stated that “as the conditions surrounding COVID-19 change, so do our safety measures for the residential community. Students should expect that there will be additional safety requirements when moving on to campus for the fall.”

Lendino and Boyle were both apprehensive about moving on-campus during the Fall 2020 semester. However, after seeing how safe Sonoma State was during the COVID-19 pandemic and seeing how their peers were still able to safely connect with one another, they decided that moving on-campus during the Spring 2021 semester would be the best option for them.

“During the pandemic, the university has put several much-needed rules in place to allow students on campus to enjoy their time being a college student. In my opinion, Sonoma State has been successful with keeping COVID-19 cases numbers, while promoting safe activities to connect Seawolves together,” Lendino shared.

SSU Residential Education and Campus Housing (REACH) has created the Seawolf All-Inclusive Experience for those living on campus in the Fall 2021 semester. The benefits included in the program include $250 credit for learning materials, free parking for the fall semester, two-year housing guarantee for First-Time First Year students and First-Time Transfer Students, price-lock guarantee, free drip coffee, free events, support services in the Residential Community and winter holiday break housing at no cost.

The Residential Education and Campus is excited to welcome students to live on-campus during the 2021-2022 academic year. “While we may not be able to completely return to ‘normal’ in the fall, we are excited to partner with our students to create our new normal and make their residential experience a meaningful one,” Murray said.