Choosing a Dorm

<p>What are the reputations of the different dorms? I will qualify for honors housing and will be majoring in mechanical engineering. I have been accepted for fall of 2007.</p>

<p>Well from what I've seen and heard, Riverside is the best offer for an entering freshman. Although, I've heard that Blount housing is slightly competitive.</p>

<p>To live in Blount, you have to be in the Blount Undergraduate Initiative, which isn't for everyone. Tutwiler and the other "traditional" dorms are tiny, Lakeside and Riverside are amazing in comparison.</p>

<p>Engineering and honors means River/Lakeside for you.</p>

<p>I'm guessing that you aren't a male...but if you were a male engineering major I would go for Bryant. Otherwise, Lakeside/Riverside is the best.</p>

<p>I thought Bryant was for athletes... eh, whateva, you know better than I do.</p>

<p>Per NCAA regulations, all-athlete dorms are not allowed, so Bryant is half-athlete, half-male engineers.</p>

<p>oh, okay.</p>

<p>I'll be in Riverside. Rock on.</p>

<p>what a combination, athletes and male engineers?
is that not funny?
I apologize. I'm being stereotypical. :-p</p>

<p>go for bryant if you want the engineering living option. I love paty myself but will probably try to move into ridgecrest next year.</p>

<p>Is Ridgecrest going to be apartment style?</p>

<p>My guess is that it'll be a carbon copy of Lakeside and Riverside.</p>

<p>I spoke with a lady from Res. Life and she said that Riverside, Lakeside, and Ridgecrest are all generally the same.</p>

<p>Here are the slight differences:</p>

<p>Riverside has a pool within the community, although the other two dorms have full access to the pool.</p>

<p>Ridgecrest and Riverside, in their communal kitchens, have only counters and convection ovens and a small table. Lakeside has a full communal kitchen, featuring a real stove and oven.</p>

<p>Personally, since I love to cook, I'm leaning towards Lakeside because I don't mind walking across the street to a pool.</p>

<p>oh, wow, I didn't know that Riverside had as-if kitchens.</p>

<p>I'll have to look into that...</p>

<p>Here are some interior shots of Riverside (and Lakeside and Ridgecrest as those are carbon copies of Riverside).</p>

<p><a href="http://reslife.ua.edu/halls/riverside_room.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://reslife.ua.edu/halls/riverside_room.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>According the housing website, Lakeside too only has a kitchenette. I think the oven is community-shared.</p>

<p>they did a horrible job with the construction of lakeside so it will be torn down in 5 years and rebuilt. won't really matter to any of us though hah</p>

<p>from what I understood, there are two real ovens per floor at Lakeside, whereas there are no ovens in the other two buildings</p>

<p>and what do you mean by poor construction? that kind of scares me.</p>

<p>haha don't worry, the building won't fall in on you or anything. It's mostly a lot of minor things such as the plumbing, walls being too thin, noise problems, etc.</p>

<p>eh,
well i dont want to live there then...</p>

<p>when is the housing app deadline?</p>

<p>Like June.</p>