For seniors like Avery Moore, the bar options on Pitt’s campus, from Gene’s and Phats to Bootleggers and Mario’s, “all feel very undergraduate.” Once you turn 21, Moore said, “You can really explore stuff” outside the bubble of Oakland, which includes finding more diverse bars.

HERE Pittsburgh, an apartment building on Forbes Avenue marketed toward students, was originally expected to be completed before the start of the academic year. Now, move-in has been delayed until as late as mid-October, causing students to scramble to find a place to live.

Even though North, South and Central Oakland are close to campus and have an abundance of housing, not every Pitt student who chooses to live off campus finds themselves living in these neighborhoods. Some students choose to live in other neighborhoods around Pittsburgh such as Squirrel Hill and Shadyside because of finances, comfort with the area and the availability of housing.

Sophomore Dolan Edinboro knew he wanted to move off campus for his sophomore year. But when he started looking for apartments in the November of his first semester at Pitt, he and one of his roommates,...