Housing-please help I can't decide

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
1

<p>I have some questions about housing. I'm trying to fill out the application for freshman housing but I just cannot decide.</p>

<p>Is themed housing worth it? Does anyone have background on the Global Environmen Themed Housing?</p>

<p>Is there a lot of drinking and partying in the units? Can you get any studying done in the units? Which of the units is the best.</p>

<p>Are Foothills and Stern completely isolated from everything? How long would it take to get to the units by foot?</p>

<p>Any input would be great. Right now I'm thinking of putting foothills first but then I don't know. I am someone who would probably get really annoyed by non-stop drinking and partying.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Allright, not sure how much you can trust my judgment, seeing as how I was only there for one night (OHP - one Friday night).</p>

<p>1) No idea about themed housing, sorry.
2) It kinda depends for the Units - if your floor is really into partying/whatnot, then yeah. But if not (like the floor I was sleeping in in Unit 3...), then it gets really quiet. I ended up staying till like 1:30 AM in a floor in Unit 1, and, being a Friday night, a couple of people were coming back from a party down on frat row. However, there was also this girl in her room studying for her midterm, and everyone was nice enough to just scoot down to the other side of the floor to give her space/quiet to study in. </p>

<p>Basically, it all depends on your floormates - but everyone goes to Berkeley because, well, it is Berkeley. Academics are really high priority here, and everyone knows that people study, and everyone seems to respect that quite well. Also, there're gonna be people that are into the partying lifestyle at Foothill AND the Units, it's not like you can "escape" it anywhere :)</p>

<p>Unit 1 Rules!! hehe, just throwing that in there!</p>

<p>Foothill was okay, really quiet, if that's your thing. Everyone always talks about how it's best for Engineering kids (I'm going in for Engineering as well), but most people have classes ALL around campus - meaning that short of being in Clark Kerr (which is insanely far), you're gonna have to walk/bike around whether you're in foothill OR the Units.</p>

<p>Another note: It's not "nonstop drinking and partying" if you don't want it to be! Haha, sounds totally cliched, but it is pretty true. Units are considered that basically because they're the most social - i.e. everyone keeps their doors open (except if they're studying, obviously). Personally, I prefer that quintessential "college dorm" experience!</p>

<p>Bottom line: You can't go wrong with either, but in my opinion, Units are the way to go :)</p>

<p>Oh yeah, can't help you out much on Stern...</p>

3

<ol>
<li>I don't know.</li>
<li>There's partying, there's studying, there's also libraries. <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/485587-cal-housing-thread.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/485587-cal-housing-thread.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li>
<li>Isolated? They're situated across campus from the Units, but not necessarily isolated.</li>
<li>Look at the link! I also posted a thread asking about Berkeley housing. Look for it!</li>
</ol>

4

<p>Foothill is theoretically the closest dorm to campus since it's literally right across the street. But it's also somewhat far from the active 'college-town' part of Berkeley (aka Telegraph/Southside). It'll be a decent, but manageable walk to telegraph ave and Units 1,2,3. </p>

<p>People have said Foothill can be very quiet and some go to the extreme of saying it's antisocial. </p>

<p>Here's a story about an experience of mine (I'm not sure if the cashier's statement was true)
As I was lining up to eat lunch at Foothill's dining hall a lot of people grabbed take-out boxes from the cashier. When the cashier handed one to me I asked, "is this dining hall only take-out?" She responded, "No, we have seats, but a lot of people prefer to eat by themselves in their rooms"</p>

<p>The Units aren't always partying/drinking. Like the previous posts it really depends on your RA and floor mates. Most drinking/partying occurs at frat row anyways.</p>

<p>Hope this helps with your decision.</p>

5

<p>Partying isn't the only thing that can disrupt your studying. I'm pretty much the only person on my floor (in unit 3) who doesn't play warcraft. I'm soooo tired of hearing n00000b! at 3 am...</p>