<p>Hey I'm a somewhat typical guy from Long Island that got into Harpur EA and I was wondering about the stereotypes of the different dorms. I'm into sports, not nerdy, don't really play video games, and enjoy chilling with friends, throwing a ball around, and all in all having a good time. I've heard different things about all of the dorms and was wondering if there was a general consensus about any of them and which would be the best fit for me. Thanks</p>
<p>THE SAME I WONDER FOR MY SISTER
she is sporty, loves to play soccer, likes to hang out, but she is also girly girl. likes school, but not a true nerd. not into risky behavior at all. Just a normal, well adjusted, no drama kid. Not a hippie. Any help will be appreciated</p>
<p>okay, i’m gonna take you through it step by step, community by community to help you decide.</p>
<p>DIckinson- colloquially called “the dick” or “the dirty dick” becuase its really old and decrepit. However, people there seem to have a good time and there is a great sense of community. The gazebo and the “breezeways” (which conect one building to another, making two buildings act as one) are great places to chill, lots of field space for throwing a ball around. it is going to be rebuilt where newing is currently located once new newing is complete, this likely wont be complete or even close while you are on campus- fresh/soph year. you may fit in here, but you probably don’t want to request it due to its ancient status.</p>
<p>Montainview- really nice suites, but the social scene is really confined because of it being quite style, i wouldn’t want to live here, btu the conditions are nice, with a great dining hall, and big field. Howver, the field is on a hill so if you throw a baseball or frisbee too far, you will be chasing it downhill then walking back up. You also need to hike downhill and uphill to and from classes, this wold totally suck.</p>
<p>CIW- hippies, but happy hipies, a lot of normal kids too. Great sens eof communtiy at a very convenient location. some corridor style rooms and some suite style ones. this is a wierd place, but a lot of people are happy here, definitely the most crowded and social dinign hall, but that may change next year when newing has one of its own.</p>
<p>Finally, the place where you should really want to live next year-</p>
<p>NEWING- Amazing party scene, all buildings will be brand new next year. I live in the only completed building in new newing and it is like a hotel. the doors are automatic, your bu id acts as a swipe getting you into your room, so no keys to keep track of. You have a bathrrom shared with only 6 people, even though it is corridor style. Its a new form of corridor style called communtiy style where 3 rooms share 2 half-bathrooms. One has a sink and shower, the other a sink and a toilet. there are also shared toilets and showers on every floor to ensure you never have to wait for a shower or toilet or sink. its amazing. three study lounges per floor and central air conditioning, with a thermostat. its going to have the newest dinign hall next year and this dining hall will have its own library, likely a PODS (computer station) where you can print conveniently too. If you are thinking of pledging at all, then this is the place to be, you will get rushed like crazy which means free parties, and rides to those parties- NO CABS! if you arent thinking of pledging tis still the most social dorming community, and you will make plenty of friends. Parents, do not worry, there is ample study space with three lounges per floor and one of those lounges on each floor is only desks with cubicles for you to focus on everything. it is in a pretty remote location, but worth it if you ask me. dickinsons fields are right next door so still plenty of space to throw a ball around.</p>
<p>anywhere you live you will have fun, but both of the above seem to fit the bill for newing.</p>
<p>thanks for your help!!</p>
<p>thanks a lot!</p>
<p>@def454, you wouldn’t by any chance know how the sliding doors and stuff would work out for someone who observes the jewish sabbath and cannot use electricity on saturday?</p>
<p>You’ve forgotten Hinman and the apartment communities. </p>
<p>Hinman is suite style, and very close to the big library and lecture halls. Considered to be somewhat studious its still very social for suite style. The amount of socializing depends on the suites themselves. </p>
<p>The apartment communities (Susquehanna and Hillside) are not available to freshmen. </p>
<p>@ldb212-</p>
<p>I don’t think any of the buildings have sliding doors (except maybe those that are handicap accessible). They do have electronic locks (all main and fire doors, and any new building will have them for the rooms as well) though, and you can’t really avoid those.</p>
<p>Honestly, I don’t notice the stereotypes. They’re noticeable, but only if you’re consciously looking for them. </p>
<p>Here’s my take on them:</p>
<p>CIW: I find everyone to be pretty normal there. I live there, and it’s not bad at all, but I’d so rather live in a suite than a corridor style. There are potheads, but I’m sure there are some in every community. And I don’t notice the hippie stereotype at all. I like CIW because it has the best dining hall (it has a burrito/quesadilla bar), and it’s close to the Union, which is where the buses stop, so if I want to catch a bus, I just have to leave like 2 minutes before it leaves. </p>
<p>Mountainview: The stereotype is that they’re all antisocial because their rooms are so nice. And their rooms ARE really nice. They’re able to fit a temporary triple comfortably, which isn’t the case in CIW’s rooms. I think there’s a building designated for athletes and engineering majors, though I can’t be sure. As for the antisocial thing, I can’t really be sure. My friend lives and Mountainview and she says that her floor is really social. I guess it just depends on the people. The hill can get annoying, but if you cut through CIW or Hinman the walk isn’t too bad, but it really depends on which building you’re put in. Cascade and Windham are farther back, but Marcy and Hunter are close to CIW and Hinman respectively, so the walk to those two buildings is tolerable. The dining hall is good…I like the view, but I prefer CIW.</p>
<p>Hinman: They’re said to be studious, and when I was applying for housing everyone told me not to put Hinman because apparently they’re all freaks. I don’t understand what’s up with that misconception. I find Hinman people to be really friendly, and they do go out partying. There are some people who are really studious, but, again, you don’t really notice them if you don’t look for them. The Hinman rooms are on the small side, but I find them cozy. There’s this weird thing with the showers though. My friends who live there tell me that there’s a vent in the shower that blows cool air on you and only turns off after 1 AM, so they don’t take their showers till after one. It sounds annoying, but it’s just one small negative. Hinman’s great because it’s really close to the lecture hall, the Bartle library, and close to the science buildings than any other community. Even the walk to the fine arts building isn’t bad. Hinman’s very convenient. </p>
<p>I don’t know much about Dickinson except that it’s really old. It has no elevators, so you’d have to carry all your stuff to your room. That would suck, especially if you lived on the top floor. I don’t really see any advantage to living at Dickinson…the dining hall is the worst and it’s only close to the union and fine arts building. The rooms really aren’t THAT bad…I’ve been in them. The hallways are kind of narrow though…Anyway, I’d suggest you put that as your last choice.</p>
<p>Newing is currently being rebuilt. I don’t know if they’ll still have old Newing open next year, but I know the dining hall is opening, so that’s a plus. I’ve never seen new Newing, but I’ve heard it’s like a hotel. The only thing is that it’s really far from pretty much everything. I heard one kid say that it takes him 15 minutes to walk to class. You may think that’s not bad, but it’s annoying, especially when you’re late to class and it’s 5 degrees out. </p>
<p>The last communities are the apartments, but freshmen aren’t allowed to live there. They have 24 hour quiet hours and they’re pretty far from campus…probably a 15 minute walk to the brain…</p>
<p>I suggest that you live in a suite, because I think they’re a lot better than corridor style. You get a lounge, and only have to share with 6 people instead of 18. I live in corridor style dorms, and the bathroom thing can be annoying. They don’t clean the bathrooms on the weekends, so it gets really gross. Plus they always take forever to refill the soap and paper towels, and one time my friends and I had to steal toilet paper from other floors because our bathroom ran out. I admit that it only happened once and it was right before a break, but it was still pretty gross.</p>
<p>Good luck! Oh, by the way, if you request a roommate, you’re almost guaranteed your first choice (as long as the request is mutual, of course!).</p>
<p>thanks im definitely gonna request a roommate just so I don’t get stuck with someone i cant stand. i heard all of new newing should be open for the fall so im probably gonna request it. the community corridor system gets rid of a lot of the negatives associated with corridor dorming.</p>
<p>ldb212-</p>
<p>there are actually a lot of observant jews in bingham, and physical, metal keys are available upon request for use on shabbos and yomtov, this is the same for every community as there are scanners to keep intruders out in every building. In case you were wondering, newing is the closest to the chabad house where msot people spend shabbat dinner.</p>
<p>and cloudyafternoons- thew new newing is set up so that you only share a bathroom with 6 people, but still get the social benefits of a corridor style hallway, its sort of hard to explain , but its really nice. Also, living in bingham, the farthest of all newing buildings, it is a ten minute walk from the lecture hall.</p>
<p>Are these stereotypes still basically the same now that there Is new newIng and wIll be new dIckInson? And does anybody have experience with chemical-free housing?</p>
<p>New Dickinson will be available Fall 2013, so the currently accurate “really old and decrepit” stereotype will no longer be true. As far as the sense of community, it’s hard to say whether that will still be true with New Dickinson.</p>
<p>Newing is notorious for having a large fraternity/sorority scene. So if you aren’t in to that, don’t go there. But yes, the dorms are brand new. Go to New Dick or Mountainview if you still want modern dorms without the party scene.</p>
<p>Yep, Hinman’s reputation for being studious and non-social depends on where you live in the community and what you make of it. My son had a great time there this past year in a suite, as a freshman. He loved rolling out of bed and going to classes. It is a little dated but is very well designed with ample community rooms, study centers and it’s own library.</p>