<p>Hey I was wondering for McMahon how does the cluster system work? I'm gonna be part of an 8-person cluster with 2 people I know and the other 5 will be completely new people. Is it like a room that has 4 bedrooms? If it is, are rooming assignments predetermined or is it based on a first come first serve basis? Thanks.</p>
<p>Hey sorry I can’t help but just wondering, are you an upperclassman so you know your dorm already? I’m a freshman wanting to get in</p>
<p>Yeah I’m an upperclassmen, sophomore to be exact. You should receive an email telling you what dorm you were placed in and it depends generally on the theme community selected. If you chose First-Year programs, you’ll end up in Lander, Engineering is McCarty, Art is McMahon, etc etc. Can’t exactly remember when I got my email telling me my dorm.</p>
<p>I actually chose my dorm before the school year even ended but that is only if you sign up early and declare you will be dorming (a lot of upperclassmen tend to get an apartment and move off campus).</p>
<p>Do you think freshmen and sophomores are suitemates sometimes or do they try to separate by grade level?</p>
<p>Lander Hall is strictly freshman only but I have seen a few freshman paired with upperclassmen in the other halls like McCarty. I would say you will generally be separated by grade level, maybe not because they intend it, but because most upperclassmen tend to have someone in mind they plan to room with already for the upcoming year. They pair you up randomly by what you put in your evaluation of what roommate you’d ideally want (those questions they asked like someone who doesn’t smoke, who listens to music with headphones, blah blah blah)</p>
<p>"Hey I was wondering for McMahon how does the cluster system work? I’m gonna be part of an 8-person cluster with 2 people I know and the other 5 will be completely new people. Is it like a room that has 4 bedrooms? If it is, are rooming assignments predetermined or is it based on a first come first serve basis? Thanks. "</p>
<p>Yes, there are four bedrooms. In the center of the room (it’s kind of apartment-style) there is a lounge with a couch, a table and chairs, and a TV stand (you have to bring your own TV). Then on each side of the lounge, there are two bedrooms. There is also a bathroom off to one side (two toilets, two sinks, one shower, and everyone has a cubby for their stuff).</p>
<p>And the room assignments are predetermined – you have to stay in your own room.</p>
<p>Only one shower for 8 people…are you sure??</p>
<p>Yes. All the eight-person clusters in McMahon have one shower. If you have a nine-person cluster (the ones located behind the elevators) then there are two showers.</p>
<p>It sounds bad but it really isn’t an issue – I lived in McMahon for two years and had to wait for a shower maybe three or four times.</p>
<p>Are you a girl or a guy?</p>
<p>Ahhh thanks that clears up everything. Thank you so much :)</p>
<p>Girl… I shower every morning & surprisingly the bathroom is never really all that busy. There are usually a couple people who shower at night, and also, it’s not like everyone starts class at the same time. People start class anywhere from 8:30 to 12:30. The end result is that the bathroom is usually pretty available. If you think it’s going to be a problem you can make up a shower schedule…we did that one year, where everyone wrote down when they wanted to shower and it was fine, no conflicts.</p>
<p>Thanks U.W. Student, that’s a relief! It may sound silly but this kind of stuff makes me worry, being a wee little clueless freshman haha. I guess it helps that the shower is separate from sinks/toilets, so it’s not like you’re taking up the whole bathroom when you shower 
Also one more dumb question, since it’s at a university does the hot water not run out? haha</p>
<p>Haha yes, the hot water doesn’t run out.</p>
<p>Haha awesome, and sorry for hijacking this thread OP!</p>
<p>No problem lol my question was answered. But that thing about the hot water – it might be turned off sometimes but they make sure to notify everyone by putting posters saying that the hot water will be out from a certain time to a certain time so you can schedule when you want to shower accordingly (at least this happened last year in McCarty). I forgot about it and I went to take a hot shower (its like a normal shower only with me in it lolwutjkyoudidn’treadthis) and I pretty much froze my ass off.</p>