<p>What do people know about the different housing options for freshmen? Which ones are the quietest? What type of trade off is there between quiet and meeting people?</p>
<p>The two dorms that are exclusively for freshman are Dascomb and Barrows. I think both are your typical frenetic dorms. Dascomb is just a spit away from Mudd Library though, and my son makes it a routine (at least that’s what he tells me) to go to Mudd every day to get his work done.</p>
<p>There are other housing options (coops, traditional) but I don’t have any experience with them - sorry</p>
<p>Barrows is right next to the science building with it’s very lovely library and study areas. My son lived in Barrows freshman year and didn’t find it too frenetic. When things got noisy and he wanted to study he just put on his headphones. He was able to easily study in his room.</p>
<p>People at Oberlin are really friendly in general, no matter where they live. But freshman dorms are very social-- many friendships are based on proximity. It’s easier to make friends in one. If you’re a quieter person who needs their own time/space… it might not be the best OR it may pull you out of your shell. It can go either way.
I’d recommend co-ops for living – all the social of a freshman dorm, but with less drama.</p>
<p>My daughter lived in the Third World House her freshman year and, other than the fact that her side of the split double was quite small, it worked out well. It was reasonably close to her classes in the conservatory and seemed to be a lot quieter than the typical freshman dorm. She did not specifically apply to live there, but made her decision on the late side and that was where they had room. Anyone can apply to live there - it is not necessary to be a minority or come from a “third world” country.</p>
<p>She went co-op in her sophomore year, living in Harkness. If you are considering the co-ops and Harkness in particular, I would recommend a visit first. It is a great place for some, but would not suit everyone. My daughter really liked her year there, but was ready to live elsewhere when the time came.</p>
<p>She turned down what looked to me to be one of the nicest dorm rooms on campus (the third-floor turret room in Talcott with all the windows) to live with her friends in Keep in her junior year. That tells me something about the community fostered in the co-ops.</p>
<p>This year, she has an apartment with some friends a few blocks off campus. She has her own room and more space than she knows what to do with, but only seniors have that option.</p>