<p>Does anyone have recommendations about freshman housing? Is it all the same or are some dorms better than others?</p>
<p>You will not get to choose which dorm you want to live in, unless you specify that you either want the substance free dorm (which is Brown) or the performing arts dorm (which is Pegram I think). You will hear this over and over and OVER again, but it's only because it's so true: you will end up loving wherever you live. Three of the dorms have A/C: Blackwell, Randolph, and Bell Tower. Blackwell and Randolph have small rooms, and Bell Tower is the newly built so-called "hotel" on East Campus. The rooms are nice and big, there's a plasma tv on every floor, but it's quite far away from everything. The main quad dorms are close to Marketplace (where freshmen eat) and the bus stop, but all in all the dorms are all good in their own ways and since you are not allowed to pick/choose where you live it really doesn't matter too much.</p>
<p>okay so my dad keeps urging me to "deposit for housing and make sure to get a spot"...so I'm confused. I thought we get the housing assignment application mid-may. After we indicate that we want to go. I'm not hallucinating right? And also, we can opt single, double, triple dorms...coed or single sex, right?</p>
<p>I'm not sure what deposit for housing is...basically if you want to come to Duke pay your $200 or however much it is and you'll get more info about housing and everything else later. Freshman year is pretty much the only time you can request a single and get it, because sophomores don't get singles and I think a few number of juniors do. Seniors are allowed to live off campus so I guess you can live by yourself then if you want. Duke does a pretty good job of getting freshmen what they want so if you indicate you want a single or double or triple on your app your request should be honored.</p>
<p>Yes, you'll get the housing information after you officially enroll. Don't worry about not getting a spot. Every freshman is more than guaranteed a spot on East Campus. It's the rule. You can state your preference for single, double, triple. I believe there is a spot for coed or single sex, but all of the dorms are coed. Some floors might be single sex here and there. Don't worry about depositing for housing or anything like that. It'll all be on one big bursar account.</p>
<p>haha alright :) thanks loads guys</p>
<p>All the dorms have pros and cons. I may not have a great room or a/c but I love my location and the houselike feel of my old dorm. The people are social and I wouldn't trade it for another dorm on east campus. I think most people would feel that way.</p>
<p>Are there plasma TVs/snack bars/workout facilities/lounges in most of the residence halls on campus?</p>
<p>Plasma TV: it depends on your house council. Every year, the house council (elected residents) has a certain amount of money to spend on activities and equipment. It depends on whether the council before you decided to buy a TV. I know Aycock has a big screen TV.</p>
<p>Snack Bar: there are vending machines in all the dorms</p>
<p>Workout facilities: no (unless the house council bought a treadmill or something), there's always the gym. </p>
<p>Lounge: yes, there's a big common room for the entire dorm and usually a study room on each floor. </p>
<p>All of the above applies to east campus dorms except Belltower. If you live there, you'll pretty much have everything except the workout facility, but then, Belltower is right next to the gym.</p>
<p>further info: the gym is pretty close to just about all the freshman dorms.</p>
<p>If you have a legitimate, medical reason for needing central air and it's documented by your physician, you will be put in an AC dorm. This year, at least, that cost an extra $1000.</p>
<p>Yea, I live in Randolph right now and its awesome. The rooms are a little small (140/150ish sq ft) and there isn't a closet as much as a "hole-in-the-wall," but other than that its so amazing. I'm literally a 20 second walk to Brodie gym, have AC which is really useful for the first month (getting used to school) and the last month (finals!). Each dorm has at least one common room usually with a big screen TV, piano, and some kind of entertainment (ping pong, pool). Also each year the house council gets like $2000 to improve your dorm... I might be a little biased towards Randolph, but actually all the dorms are really nice. (Cough, maybe except for Epworth... ;) )</p>
<p>IIRC Epworth is being renovated as administrative space over the summer and will no longer be a dorm in the Fall. It was supposed to be done two years ago but the '09 folks kinda overloaded the bed space...</p>
<p>The nice things about Epworth, though, are the porches, the common spaces, and the higher bathroom-to-person ratio :)</p>
<p>Administrative space eh? So that means Aycock will be the smallest dorm on East then.</p>
<p>What's the difference between a suite and a double? And how's the bathroom situation? I've never really understood how that works for colleges - esp for showers. Anyone care to explain?</p>
<p>In the older dorms on east there are two bathrooms on each floor (maybe only one on the third floor). Inside there are several showers with curtains and lots of sinks. Pretty basic. Gets the job done.</p>
<p>what are the disadvantages to getting a single? are they really small?</p>
<p>Singles are small, but that's to be expected when there is only one person living in the room. Also, just like doubles, all of the rooms come in different sizes (at least in the older dorms they do), there is no set size for all of the dorms. Because of this, you may end up with a very large single (like I have, which is probably the same size as a blackwell double), or one the size of a closet (like one of my friends). </p>
<p>I think if you are hesistant of getting a double, I would just stick to getting a single. Having a double by know means gaurantees you will make more friends, and is definitely not required for "the college experience". The only benefits I got from the very small time i was in a double was that it kept me out of my room b/c I couldn't stand my roommate or my hallmates, so I made friends in a variety of dorms just by hanging out outside. Also, a lot of people say that having a single is really lonely, which I don't agree with at all. But then again, I'm somewhat of an introvert, so I really appreciate having a lot of time to myself.</p>
<p>The one negative about a single that I have noticed, however, is that because I don't have to worry about waking up my roommate, I keep hitting my snooze button to the point where somedays I miss class :X (if you have a sense of discipline, though, this won't be a problem).</p>
<p>But yeah, If you like having time to yourself, and are not afraid to admit that you are selfish and want complete control over your space, get a single.</p>
<p>I also recommend a single - it's always better to have your own space and like the above poster said, just b/c you have a double doesn't mean there will necessarily be social benefits of that. Also with the size of some of the doubles (like 140-150 sq. ft.) I couldn't even imagine living with someone else in such a small space, since my singles have been around 120-130 and they seem on the crowded side for just 1 person.</p>
<p>In the older dorms some of the singles are practically bigger than the doubles. I think having a roommate is a good experience. You learn to adapt and make the most of things (and in lots of cases get along great). Also, there are no singles for sophomores, so why not adapt early? Don't get me wrong though, i'll be glad to have a single senior year.</p>
<p>^haha, I have a single next year (I will be a sophomore). Really it was kinda random though, and I'm in a selective living group with a different set of rules than normal roompix.</p>
<p><strong>sorry for off-topicness</strong></p>