<p>There had been discussion about how the suite-style dorms discouraged interaction amongst residents.</p>
<p>Apparently, this is not always the case, as the crowd on my DD’s floor have bonded in a big way and do any manner of activities together, at the dorm and beyond.</p>
<p>I believe the mandatory floor meetings at the beginning of the semester served as a great start, but the group, Male and female, GDI and Greek-Pledges alike, are a happy posse, from all I hear.</p>
<p>Just throwing this out there, as Class of 2018 begins their journey.</p>
<p>The boys even bought their own ping pong equipment to keep on the floor so they would not have to go check them out when they wanted to play…apparently a bee-hive of activity.</p>
<p>I second the experience reported by TXArchitect.</p>
<p>My daughter is in a suite-style dorm and she has apparently met and is interacting with a good number of other students. She is from the north and did not know anyone at UA beforehand. She had moderate communication with her suite-mates prior to heading down.</p>
<p>My daughter did not pledge and seems to have embraced the GDI label (no negative connotations). Two of her suite-mates joined sororities (2 different sororities) and it does not seem to have affected her ability to bond with them.</p>
<p>From the limited amount of information I am getting from my son, it seems like he is experiencing more of the suite-related isolation that some previous posters had been concerned about. He says he knows practically nobody on his floor other than his roommates. I had left him a door stop so they could keep their suite door open, but I don’t know if they are doing that. His suite is at the very end of the hall, so that might make a difference – I’m guessing it helps with interaction if the suite is near a kitchen or a community room or some other natural gathering place. I wonder how much it depends on the RA also. In any event, it definitely sounds different than the dorm experience I had in a traditional double room with community bathroom.</p>
<p>That being said, he is loving the arrangement. He is very happy to have his own bedroom and loves the big shared living space. He and his roommates are getting along very well and not having any problems that I’m aware of with their shared space. He has met plenty of people in other parts of his dorm and other dorms, so his social life doesn’t seem to be suffering from this at all. He is pretty good about putting himself out there, though, so it’s possible a shyer or more reserved kid might not do as well.</p>
<p>He would pick the suite-style dorm again no question, but I do think the isolation factor is something to be aware of if you have a kid who is extremely shy.</p>
<p>I think the experience depends largely on the chemistry of the floor. Despite attending AA, my older daughter had the isolated suite experience – so much so that I tried to persuade my younger daughter that she should give a traditional a dorm a try so that she could have a more social experience. She wouldn’t hear of it. She wanted the suite. She’s having the time of her life on the floor TXA posted about. The floor had already come together as a cohesive unit by the time AA/OA/Camp 1831/Rush week was over. Here’s hoping that the fabulous social experience isn’t causing anyone’s academic life to suffer!</p>
<p>Anyone feeling isolated needs to take a book or two, head to Starbucks, grab a table and read/study. Chances are, you’ll meet someone to chat with. </p>
<p>Sometimes new frosh still suffer from that “high school thinking” that if you go somewhere alone, then you’re stigmatiged as having no friends. No. That’s not how it is in college. </p>
<p>And, certainly go to any of those Open Mic Nites - even if you’re not in Honors (it’s not like anyone checks…lol…what would they check? lol).</p>
<p>I asked my DS that same question about isolation. He just laughed at me and said everyone on his floor hangs out in his dorm or stops by the dorm all hours of the day/night, you’d think we were giving away free stuff…lol</p>
<p>He’s already talking about getting an apartment off campus with his room mates since he knows that the odds of getting housing sophmore year are slim. He told me that we should be prepared to look at apartments during Parents weekend and put a deposit before its too late and all the good/close apartments are gone.</p>
<p>I think it is a complex mix of factors that vary significantly based on personality. My S was in a suite last year, and he is an RA in a traditional dorm (with his own room) this year. He felt more isolated in his suite last year, and raves about his experience this year and the connections he has made through his responsibilities, and just more random opportunities. He is a bit introverted at heart, so I think this change has actually been beneficial to him, despite the obvious perks of suite-style.</p>
<p>I think housing is very cognizant of the potential for “isolation” in the suites. In is inherent in the physical construction of each building type. In a traditional dorm, there is just more opportunity for random encounters because a roommate might meet a friend of his roommate, and so on. The open door policy is more common in traditional by just the same factors, I do believe. In the suites, there is just more natural seclusion. I think the opportunities for random interaction are just not nearly as prevalent in a suite for many reasons. I like then to apartments, even for freshman students because they are not inclined to knock on a random door quite as much. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it just is what it is.</p>
<p>I also think it is the personality of the student. Some kids are just more social.</p>