Student Experience Centre holds second-annual Off-Campus Living Fair

The winter term at UOIT may be in full swing, but for many students – particularly those in first year – there is one very big question that they needs to be answered: where are they going to live come the fall? For the hundreds of students currently living in residence, finding accommodation and even finding roommates can be a daunting task with September seemingly still so far away.

To help students  find that answer, UOIT’s Student Experience Centre (SEC) recently hosted its second annual Off-Campus Living Fair – a networking event designed to connect students with all of the resources they need to succeed while living off-campus next year and potentially beyond. The Fair brings together a diverse group of vendors, landlords and community organizations to connect them with students exploring housing options.

Among the vendors welcomed by the SEC to this year’s event was Oshawa Fire Services, whose representatives asked students to identify a burnt household object in an effort to emphasize importance of knowledge about fire safety. 

“Many students have been able to identify this as a multi-outlet power bar, but few can tell us what could cause this damage,” said Paul Hunt, fire prevention inspector, Oshawa Fire Services. “That’s why we’re here, to educate students on fire safety in their home.”

Also in attendance were officials from municipal law enforcement licensing services, Smart Commute leaders, various property management representatives and UOIT student organizations.  

“What makes this event so special and unique is its ability to bring a sense of community amongst those you would think would compete against each other,” said Jeremy Greenberg, manager, Student and Community Outreach, SEC. “It lets students feel at ease about their transition to off-campus living, leaving students informed and comforted.”

To further educate students, workshops were held at both of UOIT campus locations (north Oshawa and downtown Oshawa), which offered tips for conducting an off-campus house search and how to transition to a positive living experience in their new community.

For more information about the Off-campus Living service at UOIT, please visit the Student Experience Centre portal.