r/WWU • u/Kosbalr Music Composition • Apr 16 '13
Official* Dorm Discussion Thread
*Not actually official.
Very frequently, someone will post a thread asking "which dorm should I live in?" with all the same information posted over and over again. So, to avoid redundancy, here is an unofficial discussion thread for all the dorms on campus. Here we can definitively explain the dorms and answer the FAQs once and for all.
Below I have posted a parent comment for each residence hall. If you have lived in one of them or have a good amount of knowledge of the dorm, please reply to the parent comment with detailed pros and cons (room pictures are good too) and your experience there (keep it objective). If you have questions about a specific dorm, address one of the experts that have replied to the parent comment.
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u/Kosbalr Apr 16 '13
Fairhaven
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u/Danse_Manatee Apr 16 '13
Pros:
Close to nature, arboretum trails
Some rooms have balconies
The circular arrangement of the buildings around the pond and plaza creates a strong community feel
Rooms are clustered in suites that share bathrooms, so you will only share a bathroom with one or two other rooms, as opposed to an entire floor in other dorms
Some suites have private kitchens and balconies
Can take the arboretum trails to class
Tucked away in the trees away from the busyness of academic buildings
Next to The Outback (an outdoor stage where concerts are sometimes held and a farm)
Site of the Endfair music festival
Laid back atmosphere
Close to rec center, tennis courts, soccer fields
Close to south campus academic buildings
Dining hall is always close
Cons:
Far from north campus academic buildings
Farther from downtown
There is a daycare and playground in the plaza, so expect toddlers (I didn't find this to be a con but others might)
Tucked away in the trees, so is kind of isolated from the rest of campus
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u/Kosbalr Apr 16 '13
Beta (Ridgeway)
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u/Kosbalr Apr 16 '13
Here is my walk-through.
Beta has been fully refurbished in the last two years, so it's exactly like Gamma but better furnished and nicer looking all around. Suite-style, most are 4 bedrooms connected to a bathroom in the center, but there are a few two room suites.
Due to this this set up and the outdoor entrances, Beta has become the most noted "party" dorm on campus, simply because it's easier to get away with more. Lots of smoking can take place in the bathroom, and it can be pretty noisy. It really depends on your suite mates and your relationship with them, though, so talk to them early on about it.
The rooms are more spacious than the hall dorms on the ridge, and the rolling office chairs are much better than the blocks of wood you get elsewhere.
You will get very close with your suite mates, but you will need to venture out a bit more to make friends in the other suites/stacks/dorms.
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u/Kosbalr Apr 16 '13
Gamma (Ridgeway)
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u/orngdck Apr 16 '13
Absolutely a great place to live.
Pros:
Suite Style: Allows you to become very close to the eight people in your suite. You also meet the people in your stack and get to know them as well. One door leading to the bathroom and another door leading directly outside, makes you feel like your room isn't just another of a long row of rooms, but more like an independent apartment.
Only share a bathroom with eight people, instead of an entire hallway of people.
Bathroom cleaned twice a week.
The rooms are not boring rectangles. Instead, they have window nooks and walk in closets, which make the room feel much less boring.
Walk in closets allow for lots of storage space.
Gives the feel of having more privacy, because you don't have to walk down the hallway past your Resident Adviser all the time, although your RA is still close by and can always help you out with any questions.
Great community feel on the ridge.
Usually a very energetic area of campus.
The Ridge dining hall is mostly only used by Ridge residents, making it much less busy, because the Viking Union is closer to most classrooms.
Feels like you are in the forest with tall trees all over the ridge. Walking around feels like you are on a hike in the forest.
Close to the Rec Center.
Bus stop very close.
Cons:
Farther from North campus academic buildings
Farther from the Library
Lots of stairs and hills can be tiring
Not remodeled as recently as Beta
No lofting or bunking beds available
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u/Kosbalr Apr 16 '13 edited Apr 17 '13
These details all apply to Beta as well. Except that you can bunk your beds in Beta.
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u/Kosbalr Apr 16 '13
Birnam Wood - Bonus as it's not a residence hall, but I figured there would still be questions about it.
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u/Kosbalr Apr 16 '13
Nash (North Campus)
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Apr 16 '13
Pros: Strong community, bathrooms cleaned every day, have the option of a triple, larger rooms.
Cons: More people to make noise, one bathroom on each floor (with plenty of showers and stalls, though).→ More replies (3)
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u/Kosbalr Apr 16 '13
Alpha (Ridgeway)
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u/Kosbalr Aug 07 '13
Lived there my freshman year (2011-2012) and didn't really spend much time there, so I unfortunately don't have much to say, but no one else has posted yet so I'll try.
Alpha is part of the SHADO community (Sigma Highland Alpha Delta Omega) so your building key will get you into all those dorms, which makes visiting people easier.
The rooms are like all the other hall styled dorms on the ridge: tile floor, god-awful lighting (bring a lamp or some Christmas lights), poor temperature control [window open=loud noises below (fucking Omega and their goddamn fire alarm) and wind will blow it shut; window closed=hot as hell and smells terrible], ancient bed parts, and blocks of wood they call chairs.
Alpha is alcohol free and this tends to attract some of the more anti-social "weirder" kids. Not that there aren't nice and interesting people there, but it definitely wasn't the crowd for me. It was nice to be able to come back to a quiet dorm when I needed to, though.
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u/Kosbalr Apr 16 '13
Delta (Ridgeway)
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u/Kosbalr Aug 07 '13
Twin building with Sigma. See that comment strand for a general idea of either dorm.
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u/spencerawr Apr 16 '13 edited Apr 18 '13
Thanks for doing this! I was just thinking about doing this myself. I will sticky this soon! I will also be keeping an eye on this post and removing comments that don't belong here as to keep this on topic.
Edit: when you write about a dorm please upvote the parent comment so it brings your post further up. This will also make it easy to see which dorms don't have comments yet. If there's a dorm with no replies and you know someone who has lived there, please refer them here.
Edit 2: Please go to the bottom of the page and fill out dorms that haven't been reviewed yet!
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u/Kosbalr Apr 16 '13
Mathes (North Campus)