<p>Doesn’t an RA really have a big influence on how you meet people on your floor? Wouldn’t a good RA get kids to do things together - to at least meet each other in the beginning of the year so they can start friendships from there? I don’t know if there a better RA’s in private housing or in residence halls but they should really help with getting kids adjusted.</p>
<p>My opinion is “wrong”? Wow. A) I know plenty of people that agree with me. B) How can you call someone’s opinion wrong? If that’s not enough of a red flag to completely ignore you, I don’t know what is.</p>
<p>When it comes to social climate, I’d say potential students are more interested in the opinions of a current student than someone who is 30 years removed. Your perspective of what goes on in the dorms is completely irrelevant. You have no right to say I’m wrong, when, even if you disagree, my experiences are much more current. I can point to specific examples of experiences I’ve had in each of the dorms I mentioned. Can you? Or are you going based off hearsay, unqualified assumptions, outdated memories, etc.? Even if I’m “wrong,” (which, again, isn’t really possible in this case) at least I can back it up. </p>
<p>When you post links to the UIUC web site, or post facts that potential students might be interested in, you are a very helpful poster. I don’t mean to take away from those posts. They serve a meaningful purpose for this board. But leave the opinions on social atmosphere to the people who are actually a part of it. I have pride in my school and I want the best students to come here. But in order to do so, we need them to not get misinformation from ignorant posts.</p>
<p>While I think it’s very difficult to get a complete picture of the dorm atmosphere here before attending, the least I can do is share my experiences, and there is no reason to come against me for that. I don’t claim to know it all, just what I have seen, experienced, and been a part of. You have backed yourself up with nothing, and that makes you more than just wrong. That makes your post a waste of time, not to mention cyberspace.</p>
<p>And if you’re really immature enough to criticize me for my time of posting, you become even less credible. I’m not even going to dignify that with a response.</p>
<p>chris, RA’s certainly make an effort in the beginning. In most dorms they are required to hold a few floor-wide events to help people ease in. It’s really a crapshoot as to whether they are successful. In my experience, these events are sparsely attended, but there could definitely be some floors that bond through them. I’d say they are probably most successful in living learning communities. I know Weston has an LLC that might be worth looking into.</p>
<p>I’m an incoming freshmen and I DEFINITELY need help picking a dorm.</p>
<p>I am leaning towards six pack, but just in case I can’t get into there, what are some other good dorms?</p>
<p>I want to party a fair amount, but also want a good balance between party and study. </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Something worth mentioning also, “Cowgod,” is the Greek System. The so-called 6-pack is located near most of the Frats. If you’re considering rushing the largest Greek system in the world, it might be much easier to live near the majority of impressively built Fraternity houses. You wouldn’t be able to live there freshman year, of course, but if you’re expected to spend approx. 10 hrs./wk. there while pledging, it is easier if you live nearby than on the other side of campus. Fraternities are often maligned too and offer a nice mix of social, study, and volunteer time – not to mention leadership opportunities and networking for the future, etc. In addition, not all Fraternities are alike; you should be able to find one that fits your goals and personality. I wish you well…</p>
<p>I’ll try one more time, Jax. The OP is a parent, stating that her daughter is a disciplined student that desires regular study and sleep hours. She’s looking for housing suggestions where that is most likely to occur. I responded directly to her post. In addition, she states that she wants to avoid students that stay up all night and into the morning, saying “that just won’t fly”. Your replies occur at 12:30am and just before 3:00 am. I think it’s valid to point that out in light of her stated desires. Secondly, while the clear point of her post is that she’s looking for housing options where she’s most likely to encounter a more stable, quiet dorm atmosphere, you talk about dorm socialization, characterize quietness as undesirable, and base your socialization conclusions on the fact that communal bathrooms somehow enhance the ability to make friends.</p>
<p>First, your response doesn’t address the OP’s post. Second, you attempt to justify your off-topic opinion with what I consider to be a totally whacky, fringe theory. I commented on that. You apparently took offense, and stated that I shouldn’t be commenting on dorm socialization because I’m not a student, and you apparently feel that current student’s opinions were more valid than others on this subject.</p>
<p>That got me angry on several fronts. First, your attitude that “I’ve spoken. This conversation is over” won’t fly on these boards, and especially not with me. Secondly, you don’t need to agree with people, but when you don’t, you need to correct without attacking them. I’ve seen that in several of your posts. Lastly, contrary to what you might believe, dorm socialization issues haven’t really changed much over the years, and people, whether current students, or not, can offer valid advice on the topic, even though it wasn’t a topic that the OP was asking to be addressed.</p>
<p>Your opinions are always welcome here, but people will challenge them when they don’t agree. I mispoke when I stated your opinion was wrong. I apologize for that, but your attitude got the better of me. What I meant to say was that the underpinnings that you offer for that opinion were simply ridiculous, and I stand by that. I’d be glad to continue this conversation with you, but I’d like to let this thread get back on track. If you’d like to PM me, that would be fine.</p>
<p>Cowgod, although the six pack is a bit more rowdy, it honestly depends on who you hang out with and your crowd. In reality, buses can take you to most of the dorms within 15 minutes, so it’s not that big a deal. In the 6 pack you may encounter more party friendly students, but rest assured, you can find a medium in any of the dorms.</p>
<p>balthezar u r a complete joke i like how u bring up the post times of someone else to discredit them like ur so pretentious and arrogant that its sickening nobody cares that ur a big deal on an online forum, y do u even spend so much time on here?? get a life…</p>
<p>i know, right?</p>
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<p>Yeah, obviously… Anyone else feel like hearing from a 50 year old about the current social climate at the uiuc dorms? I didn’t think so. No credibility, no place to comment, stick to what you know.</p>
<p>Wow Balthezar you just come off as a very pretentious ******bag. I’ve read ur posts between u and jax and i gotta say you have a very snobbish attitude. Please dont do that get off college confidential and stop lingering on your past by posting here</p>
<p>Anyone know which dorms are close to engineering classes (specifically chemical engineering)? I’m interested in Ikenberry Commons and ISR. Does anyone have any info on those?</p>
<p>ISR has the dorms closest to both the main quad and the engineering quad (5 minute walk or less). Nugent (the dorm connected to Inkenberry commons) is less than a 10 minute walk to the main quad, longer to Engineering. Chem E courses are actually in the main quad area where the chemistry buildings are; likewise your first year courses for math and chemistry and any humanities/social science courses you might take although you can get some like rhetoric almost ending up anywhere depending on particular time and day you get. Any physics courses will be in the engineering quad. </p>
<p>Go here [University</a> of Illinois - Campus Map](<a href=“http://illinois.edu/ricker/CampusMap]University”>http://illinois.edu/ricker/CampusMap) and explore a map to get an idea of where things are. The Illini Union is at the very north end of the main quad (north is at the top of the map). North of the Illini Union across Green Street is the engineering quad. ISR is just south of Green St and just east of the main quad. Ikenberry Commons is southwest of the main quad on Gregory Dr. You will see a group of dorms in that area between Gregory and Peadody (the so called “six-pack” is also in that area). You can click on any specific area on the map and get a map of the particular area. The dorms furthest from the main quad are the Florida Residence Halls which are on Florida Ave, south and just east of the quad areas.</p>
<p>Whether you can actually get Nugent or ISR is an unknown. Though ISR has freshman, it has a large contingent of upperclassmen and thus space for freshman is more limited than other dorms. Nugent is the first new dorm built since anyone can remember and is far more modern than other dorms with bathrooms shared by a couple of rooms rather than everybody. It is likely to be first choice of a large contingent of applicants and thus competition for it will be strong.</p>
<p>Someone mentioned that freshman are not allowed to live in fraternities, which is not entirely true. We actually know two freshman who both moved into fraternities this spring semester. They both signed up for their top 5 residence hall picks, and neither got any of them. They both ended up in FAR, which apparently neither of them could stand. They both rushed, and their respective fraternities paid for their lease breakage fees so the boys could move into their houses for the second semester.</p>
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<p>Keep in mind that Hendrick House is about the same price (I was there last year and I think it was actually slightly cheaper) and the rooms are bigger. Hendrick House is slightly closer to the eng quad than ISR.</p>
<p>I don’t plan on deciding whether or not I’ll be going to UIUC until around mid-April. Woudl that be too late to get into dorms like Nugent, Hopkins, or Scott? If anyone has heard of or lived in these dorms what are your experiences with them? Where do ChemE’s generally stay?</p>
<p>If you want to meet people and have an easy time socially/ interact with opposite sex then you should live in the six-pack. It’s as simple as that. Far/par sucks for meeting the opposite sex. Also Van-doren, taft and all the other dorms near the six pack have really REALLY crappy living arrangements. This is just my two cents if you’re choosing a dorm. I know some people in IT who have not met anyone besides their roommates, and I think the other private housing dorms are similar.</p>
<p>I currently live in a dorm at UIUC and he’s what I’ve learned.</p>
<p>The Six Pack/Ikenberry is by far the most social area, most of the frats are nearby and the people do like to party. I haven’t heard of anyone being disrupted too much by people late at night making noise.</p>
<p>ISR is pretty nerdy and it’s harder to make friends there. The food there is beyond terrible and a lot of people eat by themselves. They have air conditioning, which is great because I remember the first month and a half of school being miserably hot.</p>
<p>PAR/FAR is a bit far out of the way, but there are buses that run to the quad relatively often. There’s nothing great about living there but there’s nothing too bad about living there besides meeting people of the opposite gender is a bit difficult.</p>
<p>Busey and LAR are just terrible places to live. I haven’t met anyone that likes living there, probably because it’s all girls with (I think) a quarter of a floor of guys.</p>
<p>Private housing is strange. They are nicer than the dorms because they have air conditioning and are larger, but I have heard that it is harder to meet people there because the rooms are so nice no one wants to leave. The food at Bromley is supposed to be disgusting, but I’ve heard they make sack lunches for people to take to class that are ok.</p>
<p>“Future Banker” and others - I know these posts are nine months old, but you need to learn courtesy and correct spelling. Your text-speak won’t cut it in the real world nor will your attitude.</p>
<p>Regarding the courtesy, I agree with you somewhat. But both sides aren’t being as courteous as they should. But this is a FORUM. Correct spelling and grammar is not cared about here. As long as you can understand the person, who cares. Language is about effectively communicating, and if there is a shorter way to communicate with people, then it makes sense to use it. Language evolves for efficiency.</p>
<p>Like it or not, I believe snap impressions are made from the way one comes across in print. Some may not care what I or others think, but sloppy sentence construction and spelling errors are a reflection of a careless, disorganized mind - that, at least, is the general impression. If one wants to be taken seriously and have his/her opinions respected, it really helps to show courtesy and maintain toned-down rhetoric. Hiding behind a keyboard, for some, is a tempting platform for shrill remarks and invective, but when many eyes are watching, it is far more pleasant for everybody on here, to be well-mannered and informative.</p>