<p>bump… I really want to submit my housing stuff today and I don’t know if I should request Balch or not… I do have 2 other questions (sorry if they were asked before): What’s the bathroom situation like there (how many share a bathroom and that kind of stuff)? And is it possible to switch out of Balch if for some reason you were really unhappy there? And if so, how soon after starting the semester would it have to be?</p>
<p>Look at that, you guys have a facebook group going right there, should make it even better in trying to make the decision :p</p>
<p>About the small room, I’m guessing there’s a really small chance since all I’ve heard is how big the Balch dorms are lol, and how they bring others over to show them their rooms. Hopefully someone who actually knows about it can help though</p>
<p>hoping this might help, its from a previous post …Ok, this is a bit confusing, but bear with me.
Balch is ‘U’ shaped- there are 4 units overall. If you’re facing the front, standing beneath the arch at the bottom of the ‘U’, the two units on your left are Units 1 and 2. The two on your right (which also have the Carol Tatkon Center and Balch’s Womyn’s Center) are Units 3 and 4. There are 5 floors in Balch, floors 2-6. Not each unit will have rooms on each floor (ie. Unit 1 does not have a 6th floor, Unit 4 does not have a 2nd floor because of the Tatkon).
So, for example, my room from last year was 4276 (a fantastic room ). The ‘4’ indicates the floor, 4th floor. The ‘2’ indicates Unit 2, the left side of the ‘U’. ‘76’ is the room #.</p>
<p>Floors are grouped by ‘unit’. I was in 4-2. Each unit/2 units has its own RA, and its own toilet. A few units are split by a few stairs, as was my unit- there was a ‘lower’ and an ‘upper’ 4-2.</p>
<p>Each section has its own lounge. Unit 1 has a BEAUTIFUL study lounge, Unit 2 has a TV lounge and a study lounge, Unit 3 has a TV lounge, and Unit 4 has a small TV lounge and a study lounge. You can obviously use any of the lounges. A nice benefit is also the fact that you can walk to the Tatkon Center and get a smoothie in your slippers! there are roughly 20-30 girls in each section (4-2, etc). </p>
<p>and i actually ended up choosing it because it seemed like a pretty close-knit group. When i toured cornell, my tourguide had lived there the year before, and most of her best friends were from balch. Here’s some extra info that was on a previous post as well…seems like fun lol</p>
<p>Every Friday at Balch the RAs/mentors host something called ‘Tasty Treats’. One RA will go and buy a zillion yummy things, and one of the Faculty Fellows will come. Every week has a theme - chocolate, desserts around the world, milkshakes, cookies, etc. AMAZING! Plus, the RAs in Balch are very good at hosting programs and doing fun things (I have a very close friend who was a hallmate in Balch who will be an RA there again this year!) - not that all of the RAs aren’t amazing, but I found that Balch really did a decent amount of activities (not too too many, because then you’d wonder how they did well in school).
At the beginning of the year, the Faculty-in-Residence (who actually don’t live in the dorm, but at a house nearby) hosts a milk/cookie social for all residents. They also (when I was there) had a ‘birthday party’ every month for residents, and brought cake and ice cream and balloons!
So, in short, there are many ways to gain weight in Balch.</p>
<p>Haha, I’m so glad to have picked what seems like a really great dorm for next year (: </p>
<p>One thing though, I’m big on some of the domestic arts. If there are current Balch girls around could one of you describe the kitchen situation, what they have there, how convenient it is to use, and maybe if you’re really nice, a picture of it?</p>
<p>kitchens have a communal fridge/freezer, dishwasher (?) stove, oven and microwave. they are always open for use and anyone can use them, i.e. they are shared. when i was living in balch, there was always a problem with girls not washing their dishes or cleaning up after themselves, but that was probably just an issue on my floor. just a common courtesy thing to do</p>
<p>Hi, I just have a quick question about requesting Balch Hall. When I filled out my housing application online a little while ago, I selected the option “Women Only” as my dorm choice with the intention of receiving a room in Balch. I didn’t actually select Balch Hall anywhere on the application nor did I see the name of this hall specifically mentioned. Is this all I have to do to recieve a room in Balch or could I possibly just be placed in a “women only” floor within another dorm or something? Thanks.</p>
<p>yes thats all you had to do</p>
<p>if you choose women only, i’m pretty sure you’ll get balch</p>
<p>you can’t choose specific dorms btw</p>
<p>I’m not sure if this was answered before, but typically how many students share a bathroom? Are the bathrooms (the ones with showers and toilets) like stall-formation or private?</p>
<p>stall formation bathrooms.
showers also in stalls. they’re like half the actual shower and half a small changing area which I think is great.
I don’t know how the bathroom numbers break down but in my experience there is are always plenty of toilets and showers at any time of the day, and I don’t find they disgusting either.</p>
<p>the floor bathrooms alternate with female-only and co-ed. the 3rd and 5th floors are co-ed, so if your guy friends ever come visit just direct them there. i think the ratio, at least on my floor, was 3 people per toilet…so there were about 6 bathroom stalls and 6 showers.</p>
<p>I thought Balch was completely all-female?</p>
<p>Yes, but guys need to use the bathroom when they come over.</p>
<p>hmm, are the stall bathrooms like those you would find in a public restaurant? Can’t stand those…</p>
<p>OH, gotcha! haha, and the funny thing is, i WAS wondering about where guys use the bathroom when they stay over at balch XD</p>
<p>stall bathrooms are decent sized. its not like you are confined in a 1’x1’ box. not as huge as a stall in the ritz carlton e.g. would be. and on each bathroom stall door, the university posts monthly newsletters about health and stuff. have to admit-kinda interesting to read! lol</p>
<p>Okay so I read previous posts, and I just want to clarify (sorry if this sounds repetitive and ignorant): guys ARE allowed to stay over at Balch? Because I like the prospect of having a not-so-smelly dorm, but I have friends that will want to come up and visit (I have lots of guy friends in general) and such. But if it means they have to get a hotel somewhere else and pay extra money, then I’d rather have a coed dorm.</p>
<p>OH! Nevermind. Read another post. Thanks anyway!</p>
<p>I requested a single in an all-girls dorm (Balch). What are my chances of getting it/what percentage of the rooms in Balch are singles?</p>
<p>You will probably get the single that you wanted - a lot of girls who request singles (and do not request ‘women-only’ dorm) - get singles in Balch.</p>