Lease somewhere else.

While the Varsity tries to entice you with its granite counter tops and bamboo floor (two things that no college student ever even acknowledges in day to day living) it fails to deliver on the essentials like reliable internet, good plumbing, and working appliances. Things break at the Varsity, and fairly often. From my experience, and those of my roommate and next door neighbors, lights, toilets, refrigerators, doors, dish washers, microwaves, and air vents all broke at some point during the one year leasing period. The "free printing" requires you to bring your own paper, and 90% of the times I have tried to print, the (one and only) printer is broken. You will also get the pleasure of being woken up at 3am by the blaring sounds of the Varsity's emergency alarm (positioned right over the head of the bed), for no reason at all. This will leave you waiting outside in the cold for about 30 minutes before they let you back inside (better to just ignore the alarm actually). Although it is hard to ignore the alarms when they are "testing" them for 5 hours straight while you are trying to study. If your room is on the inside loop of the parking lot, you will have every single obnoxious sound echo throughout the poorly designed layout, waking you up multiple times throughout the night. Did I mention that the Varsity sits across the street (the hideous and loud route 1) from a fire station? Did I also mention that the PG County fire department is the most active fire department in the country? Expect to hear the screams of fire engine sirens multiple times per night. There is no sleeping through them. In addition, you might wake up one morning to see that you don't have running water. This is very handy especially when the typical student is waking up for class and wants to experience the luxury of showering, brushing their teeth, or even using the bathroom. For some reason water maintenance can't be scheduled at night, or even in the middle of the day. No, it has to be scheduled during prime water usage time. Lastly, there doesn't seem to be any sort of logic behind monthly utility bills. In my honest opinion I think the Varsity picks numbers out of a hat each month and that is what you pay (but don't try to pay the utility bill online, there is an additional $20 fee. Also don't try to pay with cash, it's written check and written check only).

Now I realize that all of these complaints could be viewed as over dramatic, and I realize that these types of things do happen at apartment complexes. However, for the incredibly hefty price that the Varsity charges monthly, these issues should not exist. Are there good things about the Varsity? Yes, and all in all the majority of the time everything is fine (with the exception of the noise and fire station, that happens around the clock). But there are better/cheaper options out there, so my advice is to keep searching. But then again, I do love those granite counter tops...

Currently adding to this review one month later. Came back to the Varsity today to see the entire lobby underwater with waterfalls cascading over the walls and down out of the light fixtures. From the third floor down is basically underwater at this point. But have no fear, the Varsity was quick to come up with an answer. How do you stop water from washing away your apartment complex? Shut the water off. Now nobody knows how long the water will be off because the Varsity management wasn't even considerate enough to send out an email updating the residents on the situation. I just hope 7/11 doesn't run out of gallon water jugs. I wonder how many I'll need to quickly shower myself... or brush my teeth... or go to the bathroom. Sure hope people don't start defecating in the hallways. But then again, most of them are (often) drunk college students...