By Lindsey Sharp

Students will have the opportunity to learn about off-campus living today at a housing fair hosted by The Kentucky Kernel.

The fair will take place in the Student Center Grand Ballroom from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Students can find information about housing options and get answers to questions they might have about apartment life.

Kernel advertising students created the event because they saw a need to connect students with apartment managers.

“Students always have a lot of questions about housing, but it can be hard to get them answered,” Kernel Adviser Chris Poore said. “This is like one-stop shopping for students who are looking to rent off campus, and apartment managers who are looking for students.”

The fair will include about 20 booths and representatives from off-campus housing such as The Royal Lex, Red Mile Village, The Courtyards and The Lex. Various independent owners will also be represented at the fair.

University employees and a lawyer will also be on hand to answer students’ questions about leases and renters’ rights.

Because of university regulations, students will not be allowed to sign any leases during the fair.

Sarah Geegan, student advertising manager for the Kernel, said students will benefit from attending because it gives them a chance to talk with representatives from off-campus housing.

“You can only get so much information from an advertisement,” Geegan said.

Kernel students borrowed ideas from similar housing fairs around the country, especially one conducted by the student newspaper at the University of Indiana.

Poore said he has high hopes for the fair.

“It will grow even more as the years go on,” he said.

The fair could also help prevent what can be a costly process for students. It can sometimes take days to drive around town looking at apartments and talking to managers.

Sophomore Mary Sticklen, who rents a house with three roommates, said she has been through the search process already.

“If you get an early start it’s not only much easier to find a house, but you also get a better choice of what kind of house you want and the location you want,” she said.

Students who attend the fair and sign a survey will be eligible to win one of two iPads, gift certificates, scuba gear and other prizes.