# Living at Loyola Marymount this fall?



## Cosbysmith (Jun 8, 2009)

I'm starting into the MFA film production track at Loyola Marymount in the all and I wanted to know where people were living. 

I'm coming from Ohio so I'm unsure whether I want to live on campus or get a roommate and live in an apartment. It would be nice to know what everyone else was doing.


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## rtrevino25 (Jun 8, 2009)

I'm starting LMU's screenwriting MFA this fall. I currently live in San Diego, but will be moving up to LA a few weeks before class starts. I'll be living off campus and I'm looking for someone to split an apt with.

Any others going to LMU in the fall? Screenwriting or production...


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## Cosbysmith (Jun 9, 2009)

It seems like most people going to film school in LA live off campus, or that's what I've gathered from reading other posts.

That's what I'm leaning towards, it's actually cheaper than living on campus if you split with someone.

But I'd like to have a general idea what other people are doing too.


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## leary.shane (Jun 11, 2009)

I'll also be starting in the fall for a MFA in productions.  I'm coming from the St. Louis area and will be living off campus.  I've been looking around the Westchester area and the Marina del Playa area.  I have a friend living out there and she said those areas are really nice.  I have a question, have you guys signed up for PROD 565 - Cinematography? It's saying I need a prereq, and I think the computer system thinks I'm an undergraduate.  I was wondering if you guys were having the same problem...


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## Cosbysmith (Jun 12, 2009)

I had a problem signing up for cinematography too. Call or e-mail Mary Abshire in the film office and tell her that you're not able to register for the class. 

She can fix the error on her end and you'll be able to sign-up for the class.


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## leary.shane (Jun 12, 2009)

I talked to Mary and she told me that she'll have to wait for me to send my deposit in before she could do anything.


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## skipper (Jun 16, 2009)

I'm heavily leaning toward attending for Screenwriting in the fall. I'm planning on living on campus if I end up there. I know it will be more expensive, but I'm coming from the east coast and have absolutely no knowledge of the area so I'd rather be on campus for the first year.


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## Cosbysmith (Jun 17, 2009)

I was thinking the samething Skipper. I'm from Ohio, and even though I visited LA once, I think it might be better to live on campus my first year.

But I don't want to be the only grad film student living on campus. You know?

So I'm kind of stuck right now. And I know I need to make a decision about living on campus soon, but I'm just putting it off.


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## Jayimess (Jun 17, 2009)

For what it's worth, I am from Ohio as well, and the first time I went to LA was with all of my belongings the day I drove in.  I rented a place online with some LA friends' help, and it worked out...admittedly, I go to USC, which is more of a party school for the undergrads, but I'd lived on my own too long to live in pseudo dorm-apartments with institutional furniture.

Another good friend is from Baltimore, and he stayed in a residential hotel for a week or so until he found a place.  The caveat:  he didn't have much stuff.  I had a ton of stuff I didn't want to leave in my car for long.

People at my school live on campus, some love it, some hate it...the thing is, you have to move out SO fast, once the year is over, or you graduate.  They all seem to end up crashing on someone's couch while they transition into their own place.

LMU's in a pretty good area, and with Google Street View, which didn't really exist when I was looking, you can get a pretty good idea of the area.

Or you can live on campus.  I don't think either option is bad, just trying to show the flipside for those of you who are nervous.

Best of luck, and congrats on LMU!


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## leary.shane (Jun 17, 2009)

I'm not going to live on campus because of the price, move in isn't until the end of August, and because I haven't lived on campus in a long time.  I kind of like to be able to do my own thing and I plan on staying out there for a while.  Plus, I rather live on my own in a cheap place and find a roommate later than be stuck with one who I could potentially hate.  From what I've researched, the LMU area is great and I'm pretty excited about being there in the Fall and I hope to meet and hang out with you fine people.


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## skipper (Jun 18, 2009)

Crosbysmith - I thought the same thing about being a grad student living on campus, but on the housing application there's a line that asks if you're willing to live with undergrads if there's no grad space left...so we must not be the only ones! And if there aren't a lot of grad students living on campus...more room for those who are!

I can see where you're coming from too, leary. I think I'll almost definitely start looking for a place to live off-campus after the first year. I think I'd be ok trying to find a roommate and place for first year, but I know myself better than that haha - I'm going to be stressed out about moving across the country and would rather eliminate one aspect of that anxiety and have someone else just tell me where I'll be living!


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## Lame Forum Name (Jun 20, 2009)

> Originally posted by skipper:
> Crosbysmith - I thought the same thing about being a grad student living on campus, but on the housing application there's a line that asks if you're willing to live with undergrads if there's no grad space left...so we must not be the only ones! And if there aren't a lot of grad students living on campus...more room for those who are!
> 
> I can see where you're coming from too, leary. I think I'll almost definitely start looking for a place to live off-campus after the first year. I think I'd be ok trying to find a roommate and place for first year, but I know myself better than that haha - I'm going to be stressed out about moving across the country and would rather eliminate one aspect of that anxiety and have someone else just tell me where I'll be living!



The anxiety and tension associated with sharing a small bedroom with another dude (or girl, if your a girl) will outweigh any apartment-hunting fears.  Grad students generally don't live on campus, because graduate housing is an afterthought, geared toward the needs of international students.  It sucks, believe me.  You should see these cubicles they try to pass off as bedrooms.  And if you have a girlfriend/boyfriend, forget it.

The kicker is, they charge you as much or more when compared to an off-campus studio or one bedroom.  In the grand scheme of things, a studio is not a very -- how you say -- prestigious living arrangement, but it's about ten-thousand pegs higher than on campus.  Just food for thought.

EDIT:  Just read over this, and it comes off a little heavy-handed (which was not my intention).  Just trying to convey that every single grad student I've known, including a few international students, absolutely hated on campus housing.  They were all trying to get out of the contract within the first few weeks.


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## Lame Forum Name (Jun 20, 2009)

By the way, just want to throw this out there:  I'm also going to be an MFA screenwriting candidate at LMU this fall, and am looking for a roommate to go in on a nice 2 br flat.  

Drop me a private message if you're in the same boat.


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## leary.shane (Jun 21, 2009)

Are you guys on facebook?  my address is facebook.com/leary.shane   ....   I'm hoping to get to meet some folks in the program before school starts.


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## skipper (Jun 22, 2009)

All valid points...but as crazy as it is, I think I'm sticking with on campus. Despite the price and all the expected annoyances, I think I'll actually have a smoother adjustment if I'm living on campus. I know it's definitely not for everyone, but it makes sense for me. 

Besides, it seems like I'll have plenty of off-campus friends with couches for me to crash on when I'm sick of being on campus...


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## Lame Forum Name (Jun 22, 2009)

> facebook.com/leary.shane



Friend added.  Look for Justin from Penn State.


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## Nervousaurus Rex (Jun 22, 2009)

I'm going to LMU for screenwriting, and I applied for on campus housing just to be on the safe side.  I live in New York and don't plan on going back to the West Coast until classes start.

I haven't had to share a room with anyone in over five years, so I'm a little apprehensive about that, but I'd be even more worried about trying to find a place and figure out how to get everywhere at this point.  I'm sure I'll go for off-campus housing later, though.

I'm definitely looking forward to meeting you guys!


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## Cosbysmith (Jun 28, 2009)

Skipper, Rex I think I'm going to live on campus too. Would you all want to room together?

If either of you are interested, private message me. We can talk and see if we'd be a good fit.

I think it would be nicer to live with people in the program than to just get some random person.


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