<p>Hi,
I am joining MHC this fall. I thought we should have a discussion thread for discussing our concerns about the student life and dorms of MHC so that us newbies could get some idea. I am an international student living at home in Asia so I didn't have the oppurtunity to visit any of the colleges I was considering. As a result, I have no idea where I am setting my foot in. So yes, a lively discussion on this matter would be appreciated. I am sure if we keep posting, more and more people will lurk in a drop a word.</p>
<p>Stay from the older dorms ( Safford, Porter, Brigham,Mead) You will most likely get stuck with a VERY tiny room. Mine was horrible... It was a single CONVERTED into a double. Very very cramped.</p>
<p>In the hall of preference sections, I listed choices 1-5 and I don't think I included any of the above as my first choice but perhaps Mead was there somewhere as the 4th or 5th. By the way, do you have to take your belongings out of the college when summer vacation begins? I mean you do have to change room every year right?</p>
<p>Yes, you have to completely clear out your room at the end of each year. Immediately after students leave to go home for the summer, the rooms are used for the alumnae that stay there for various activities. Each year you will get a different room and most likely a different dorm. Housing each year is done on the lottery system where you draw a room number and dorm number. ( The drawing of numbers is done electronically and completed online). It is then fone my seniority and the number you drew. ( the lower your number the better chance you have of getting your dorm/room)</p>
<p>don't worry too much about getting stuck with a small room in one of the old dorms, there are only a few first years in those dorms so the chances that you'll be in one of them is slim even if you put them as your first choice. Also, as a trade off for the room being slightly smaller, you are VERY central to campus (directly on the green basically) so your classes are a minute away literally from your room.</p>
<p>My daughter got Wilder (older residence on the green) her first year. Wilder was her first choice and she did get one of the smaller rooms, but didn't mind. She felt it was really cozy and fortunately she got along well with her roommate. In the lottery for next year, she got a great number and picked Safford--another older residence on the green.</p>
<p>My daughter lived in Torrey last year. It was not even on her list of preferences, but she was fine with it. Part of the learning that goes on at the college level is learning to live in a community setting, be it you first choice situation or not. The room she had as a double is scheduled to be a single this year. Small for MHC standards, but larger than many of her friends at other colleges. Perfect...no. Liveable...quite. Good experience...absolutely!</p>
<p>By the way, she got her first choice for next year...she'll be in Safford as well!</p>
<p>The older dorms usually go first in housing lottery, and the rooms aren't too small. Actually, some of the newer dorms (1837, Prospect) have smaller rooms, on average, than the dorms on the Green (Mead, Wilder, Safford, Porter, Brigham).</p>
<p>Mead, in my opinion, is the best dorm. It is newly renovated and close to a lot of food, Blanchard, the theatre and music buildings, and not too far away from the academic buildings.</p>
<p>I don't like Torrey, Ham, MacGregor...but that's my own prejudice against the architecture! Really, you can't go wrong with an MHC dorm room. I had the smallest double on campus last year, and it wasn't too bad at all (but then again I did get along with my roommate!).</p>