The end of the semester is quickly approaching, bringing with it springtime warmth and excitement for the year ahead. Many students are preparing to move on from Saint A’s, ready to leave campus and begin a new chapter—whether that’s in the workforce, graduate school, or elsewhere. But for those returning next fall, with summer plans finalized and schedules taking shape, one concern looms larger than the rest: where are they going to live? The uncertainty surrounding housing, while satirized on YikYak with posts joking about converting C-shop, the Mailroom, and even small sheds into 4 and 5-person dorms, has unfortunately become a significant source of stress for many returning students. 

While everyone who submitted their housing deposit by the February 14 deadline is guaranteed housing for the 2025–2026 academic year, the specific details of that promise remain unclear. Saint Anselm College’s housing system is facing significant strain this year, driven largely by the arrival of the unprecedentedly-large Class of 2029. According to residential data, roughly 93% of first-year students—and 90% of the student body overall—live on campus. However, even as the student population continues to climb, the number of available living spaces has stayed relatively constant year over year. 

Residence Life has taken steps to accommodate the incoming class by expanding housing access for new students, so rising freshmen (and their parents) need not fret. However, this has had a ripple effect on returning students—rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors—many of whom are still without confirmed housing for next year. In particular, first-time returners are facing the brunt of the uncertainty, as 30% of rising sophomores are leaving campus this May without knowing where they will be living in the fall. 

This delay, while unfortunate, is not new. Saint Anselm’s Housing Kickstart and Waitlist Support program (aptly abbreviated as “HAWKS”) has long been a standard part of the College’s housing process. Designed to support students who do not receive housing assignments during the initial selection period, HAWKS involves close collaboration between Residence Life staff and returning students to place individuals in permanent housing solutions as cancellations occur throughout the summer. While the program is effective, it is far from immediate; most waitlisted students do not receive their final placements until July, as cancellations are typically processed in June, leaving many in limbo for several weeks. 

“I was hoping for an apartment,” said one rising junior who asked to remain anonymous, “but I don’t know… just knowing [where I will be living] would be better than this.” The student explained that their housing lottery number was relatively low and added, “It’s just stressful not knowing where you’re living [next semester].” This anxiety has been echoed by students across class years. While most acknowledge that Residence Life is doing the best it can with limited space and ample requests, the uncertainty and limited communication during this already taxing time of year has left many feeling overwhelmed.

In response to the housing scarcity, the College is making short-term adjustments while working toward long-term solutions. Administrators are working to strike a delicate balance: accommodating the immediate increase in residential demand while preparing for future enrollment fluctuations that could make significant permanent expansions unsustainable. Overbuilding could leave the school with unused space in a few years so, while permanent housing is being considered, administrators are also exploring more temporary alternatives. 

Among these solutions is the College’s overflow housing program, which temporarily places students in transitional or nontraditional housing until permanent spots become available. This allows Residence Life to offer students a bed—though not always an ideal one—while waiting for a vacancy in a more permanent space. 

In the past, Saint Anselm has dealt with housing shortages by converting academic buildings into dormitories, using trailers, and investing in new residence halls. Many of the current permanent dorms, in fact, began as temporary housing (differentiated from intentionally-built and planned permanent spaces by their white siding). However, a new rumor has surfaced this year, suggesting a housing partnership with Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU). While no official announcements have confirmed this plan, the possibility has sparked speculation and concern among students: what does the potential partnership indicate about Saint A’s ability to maintain itself, especially as the College seeks to expand? The rumor has many students—and likely many administrators—wondering whether the Hilltop will be able to keep its commitment to a residential, community-centered student experience in the shifting landscape of higher education in years to come. 

As the students prepare to leave campus, their return to the Hilltop remains a point of stress and speculation. Most students trust that they will eventually be placed, but many hope that this year’s challenges will prompt meaningful improvements to the housing process in the future. For now, though, students must rely on their patience, flexibility, and administration to navigate the unknowing, holding out hope that there is more than a class schedule waiting for them in the fall.