<p>Thanks for all the info you guys have given me so far! It has really helped!</p>
<p>I'm finalizing my housing app, and I was wondering:</p>
<p>Is living in Dean's Halls worth it? Is there really a sense of community, more opportunities, and more overall benefits? Is there a social scene? I mean, I don't want anything too crazy, but I need to socialize and make friends and just take a break from studying sometimes. I want to find a nice balance between studying and socializing.</p>
<p>If I decide to apply for Dean's Halls, would you recommend Trojan or Marks? Which is nicer, quieter, farther from the street, etc?</p>
<p>Finally, I'm still thinking of Parkside. Is it really that "international?" I enjoy learning about new cultures and meeting new people, but is every day and everyone's life revolving around the international aspect?</p>
<p>Also, I know that Parkside people can't have the dining dollars meal plan. So, what do you do for the rest of your meals? Is that really a major problem?</p>
<p>Has anyone had any postive or negative experiences with suite living, whether it's with 5 or 8 people?</p>
<p>i am not a usc student (yet) but i DID happen to stay at Trojan Hall. Honestly, I didn't like the building itself. The walls are brick (on the inside) and the bathrooms had a weird tilt on the floor so there was a constant pool of water...messy. the rooms are RIGHT SMACK DAB next door to Figueroa (sp?) St and according to my host, they get dust mites...i don't know what exactly those are but...hmmm...not very pretty.</p>
<p>The community there was really nice however. I was hosted during midterm night, and there were tons of in room quiet study sessions and a general camaraderie between the people on the floor. There are also special dinners on monday, which i went to...they weren't that amazing...</p>
Finally, I'm still thinking of Parkside. Is it really that "international?" I enjoy learning about new cultures and meeting new people, but is every day and everyone's life revolving around the international aspect?
[/quote]
Well, it's more like 60% Intl, 40% Domestic students. And the international aspect is supposed to be provided by our Parkside area government, but they really haven't done much except throw one or two lame major events. They do, however, have these Reel World events, where they have food from a certain country and then show some movie. Those are kind of neat. But yeah, the most you will learn about international is from the residents themselves.
[quote]
I know that Parkside people can't have the dining dollars meal plan. So, what do you do for the rest of your meals? Is that really a major problem?
[/quote]
Well, first off our plan does come with $510 dining dollars in addition to 10 meals/wk. But yeah, as I've complained before the selection rarely changes at Parkside and most people have gotten sick and tired of the food. I usually use up all 10 meal early in the week, then I use either dining dollars or my own pocket for the rest of the week.</p>
<p>Why did you choose Parkside? Are you from the U.S.?</p>
<p>What kind of environment is there at Parkside? Is it quiet enough to study? Is there also socializing and a sense of community?</p>
<p>Is the dining hall really as good as everyone says it is, or does the lack of selection take away from any benefits it might provide?</p>
<p>How many people do you live with in the suite? Would you recommend suites over regular dorms?</p>
<p>Are there mainly people from a few colleges (since engineering is close), or is it mostly a mix of all majors? By the way, I'm interested in Annenberg. Are there people from Annenberg at Parkside? How's the location with respect to Annenberg? </p>
<p>Finally, would you recommend living at Parkside? Do you regret being there?</p>
<p>Why did you choose Parkside? Are you from the U.S.?
-Yeah, I'm from Virginia. I chose Parkside only cuz it is near the engineering school and it is the newest bldg.</p>
<p>What kind of environment is there at Parkside? Is it quiet enough to study? Is there also socializing and a sense of community?
-It's kind of quiet, although the social aspect does exist. There is a huge study lounge on the first floor, which tends to get pretty packed around midterms and finals, but it's quiet. Uhh, I would have to say that there isn't that big sense of community feeling.</p>
<p>Is the dining hall really as good as everyone says it is, or does the lack of selection take away from any benefits it might provide?
-That's the problem; the food is better than EVK, but the lack of selection is very annoying and bothersome.</p>
<p>How many people do you live with in the suite? Would you recommend suites over regular dorms?
-Most of the suites have 8 people, although mine is a 6 person. The only advantage of suites over normal dorms is that you get 2 private baths per suite.</p>
<p>Are there mainly people from a few colleges (since engineering is close), or is it mostly a mix of all majors? By the way, I'm interested in Annenberg. Are there people from Annenberg at Parkside? How's the location with respect to Annenberg?
-Oh, it's mixed. There are people from many different schools here. One of my suitemates is in Annenberg; it's only a 10 minute walk there from here.</p>
<p>Finally, would you recommend living at Parkside? Do you regret being there?
-The only thing I dislike about Parkside is the meal plan. It's definitely a great place to live in as a Freshman and to get settled in your new life without your parents, family, etc. I'd recommend it for your first year.</p>
<p>Pros & Cons of Parkside Suites vs. Honors Halls</p>
<p>Can you go over pros & cons of a freshman living in Parkside Suites vs. one of the honors halls? Also, pros & cons of living on the quiet floor vs. other floors on Parkside Suites? Son will be incoming freshman in engineering.</p>
<p>Thanks for the really, really quick response!</p>
<p>Just a few more things:</p>
<p>What exactly do you mean by a lack of variety in the food? They have the exact same selections all the time? Do a lot of people eat at EVK some of the time instead?</p>
<p>Have you participated in any of the residential college activities? What exactly is offered? I've heard about weekly dinners and trips to points of interest around L.A., but more specifics would be great.</p>
<p>Also, how close to the street is Parkside itself? I remember seeing it on the bus tour when we were passing by. Have you found the location to be a disturbance at all? More generally, have you found the location to be an issue (distance from libraries, other buildings)?</p>
<p>I can help answer this one even though I don't live in Parkside.</p>
<p>Both EVK and Parkside get repetitive, so after a few weeks you can pretty much guess what both places will be serving for lunch and dinner. As Parkside is a International residential college, Parkside serves a variety of (poor attempts at) "international cuisine". EVK has mainly American cuisine, but they have a mexican station and a pasta station and sometimes they serve internationally-inspired food. I used to eat at Parkside for lunch and EVK for dinner (since the meal plan only allows you to eat at your nearest DC for dinner), and they both got old after a while (I found that putting food on individual plates doesn't necessarily make it better =)</p>
<p>Thinking about it, all the dorms are against the street. Parkside is against Exposition, and if the street noise doesn't drive you nuts, the construction of Parkside II might. Flour is against Jefferson, and the other dorms are against Figueroa and are also affected by construction noise of Galen Center. Overall, all the dorms are about an equal walk from where most of your classes will be your first year (VKC, GFS, THH), however Leavey Library is on the New/North/Birnkrant side of campus, so if you choose Parkside, plan for about a 10 minute walk to Leavey and/or have Campus Cruiser speed-dialed into your cell.</p>
<p>Sorry, a Parkside resident will have to answer your question about building activities...</p>
<p>Can you go over pros & cons of a freshman living in Parkside Suites vs. one of the honors halls? Also, pros & cons of living on the quiet floor vs. other floors on Parkside Suites? Son will be incoming freshman in engineering.
I really don't know anything about the Honors Halls, so I really cannot make the comparison between the two. And Parkside doesn't really have a quiet floor; what I meant was that the giant first floor lounge is very quiet and a great place to study.</p>
<p>Litcloud, beammeup's post hits the nail perfectly when it comes to the residential dining halls' food.
But the noise of Parkside being near the street is not an issue at all here, unless you decide to open your window. But all the suites have their own a/c-heat controls, so that shouldn't be an issue. As for the construction of Parkside II, my window overlooks the construction site. They only work during the daytime (7am-5pm), and since you will most likely be out during those times that shouldn't be a problem at all. I have had no problems with the construction, and the loud stuff like demolition of the old parking lot, digging, etc. is all complete. The foundation is also complete, and they are now pouring the concrete by floor.
<p>
[quote=litcloud]
Have you participated in any of the residential college activities? What exactly is offered? I've heard about weekly dinners and trips to points of interest around L.A., but more specifics would be great.
I have, but not too many. I did go to the faculty master's dinners during the first few weeks, but eventually everyone stopped going to them and it's only the RAs and very few others who go to them. What makes them unpopular is that you have to go buy dinner at the Parkside Dining Hall (using one of your meals) and then you just take it to the adjacent Parkside Commons Room for a guest speaker. The trips are all planned by your RA; I haven't gone on one because of time limitations (I do have a job that's important), but I've heard people have enjoyed them. If you want some more info, there is a website (<a href="http://www.pircusc.com%5B/url%5D">www.pircusc.com</a>) which is really outdated but none of the things there seem to have changed.</p>
<p>Thanks for these insights--they're MUCH appreciated. Have printed them out & will share them with my son. He will have to finalize his housing options soon too.</p>