Treat yourself to brunch at The Breakfast Nook; the banana bread and pancakes are delicious. Explore the riverside Historic District, which is home to quirky boutiques and antique stores. Don’t miss the incredible Kaffie-Frederick General Mercantile Store; it’s an old-fashioned general store that sells anything and everything. Step back in time at Fort St. Jean Baptiste, which is a replica of an early French fort where you can learn what life was like in the early settlements. Later, meet friends for dinner and drinks at Papa’s Bar & Grill before heading home to your student housing.

You’ll be living on the edge of campus, which means that you can walk to class at Northwestern State University in 10 minutes or less. If you want to get across campus fast, take your bike — there’s free parking and bike storage for residents at University Columns.

After a long day of lectures, you’ll look forward to getting back home to hang out beside the resort-style swimming pool. Top up your tan on the deck, or escape the heat and head inside to the clubhouse to chat to your friends and neighbors about your day.

There’s a strong community atmosphere at University Columns, so it won’t take long to make new friends. Regular residents’ events, including theme parties, pancake breakfasts, movie nights and sporting competitions will soon help you to feel right at home.

When you need to focus on your college work, there are study groups, student tutor support, study spaces and seminars to help you, and the free Wi-Fi makes it easy for you to study wherever you’re most comfortable.

With work out of the way, cook your favorite food in the fully equipped kitchen, then relax in your shared living area and watch cable TV with your roommates. If you’re not in the mood to cook, meet friends at nearby Lasyone’s Meat Pie Restaurant to sample one of the signature meat pies with red beans and rice.

It’s easy to manage your money because utilities are included in your rent, and there’s a card-operated laundry where you can keep you clothes clean.