<p>Hi all,
My DD (incoming freshman) is desperate to change her dorm assignment, and is wondering how difficult it is to do so. She already has a roommate, and they would like to move together to a new room, but are afraid they will be split up. Is Somerville as bad as her friends have made it out to be?</p>
<p>Hi cmlkalee! I don’t have any experience with changing dorms, but it seems to me like it would be somewhat difficult, since most people already have finalized their plans and likely don’t plan to move. There is a request form here, however, so I suppose there is a chance of moving: [Student</a> Affairs | Housing & Residential Communities](<a href=“http://housing.ua.edu/roomchange%20-%20pa/changerequestmenu.cfm]Student”>http://housing.ua.edu/roomchange%20-%20pa/changerequestmenu.cfm) </p>
<p>Where would she like to move, and what bad things has she heard? I’ve never been in Somerville, but it is pretty conveniently located amidst all of the other north-campus housing, near Lakeside dining. If you get on the back side, you even have a lake view! It might be a bit run-down, but I personally doubt that it’s absolutely unbearable. If it were, UA would be on track to getting rid of it (which they might be, in the somewhat distant future - for all I know, that is). All I’m saying is, there are probably some positives to Somerville that she hasn’t heard about.</p>
<p>I lived in Somerville more years ago than I care to admit (um, Reagan was in office!) … it is older but the location was great even then when it was on the far edge of campus. At the time we thought it was a giant step up from the girl dorms across campus.</p>
<p>The tough part now would be that Sommerville and the other older dorms pale in comparison to the new suites.</p>
<p>Location, location, location!<br>
Have your DD look at where those morning classes are and how much closer she might be in this dorm. Shared bath rather than communal … </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>I’ve spent a lot of time in Palmer Hall, which is designed exactly like Somerville and while it is an older dorm, the rooms are bigger. Other traditional dorms might be newer, but I like the location of Somerville/Palmer better. I really enjoyed walking around Palmer Lake, which is located right behind those dorms, and watching the ducks.</p>