<p>hey guys. im in incoming freshman and i got newton campus as my room assignment. i wanted upper so im pretty ticked off but everyone tells me i will love newton. can ppl who had newton or know of ppls experiences there please make me feel a little more comfortable with living there for the next year? thank you</p>
<p>Seriously, the only reason you are ticked off is because the 5 minutes commute time between Newton and middle-campus where classes are, and in the great scheme of thing, five minutes aren't that big of a deal. Don't stress yourself out. I didn't live in Newton, but my friends who lived there told me that after a month or so they found it very comfortable and enjoyable. Give it a shot, don't start the school year with a frown.</p>
<p>My son and I recently toured BC with a senior who had spent his freshman year at Newton. He absolutely loved it there. Here are three positives he passed on to us: (1) It’s just freshman dorms and because of that, everyone has a lot in common and they develop great camaraderie. He felt he got to know nearly everyone really well and made tons of friends that he has kept for four years. (2) It’s generally acknowledged that the dining facility at Newton has the best food at BC. (3) The Newton campus is quiet and beautiful – like living in a park.</p>
<p>I lived on Newton last semester. There are positives and negatives on both Newton and Upper. Let me give you some of the positives first:</p>
<p>You really do get to know almost everyone in your dorm. The dorms are a lot smaller than the dorms on upper so you are always bumping in to the same people in the bathroom and the study lounge. </p>
<p>Stewart Dining hall is really good, but not because of the food. Every dining hall at BC is almost the same regarding food. What sets Stewart apart is that it looks and feels like a small cafe. You'll know what I mean if you eat there. The annoying thing about Stewart is that it is packed with Law students at lunch everyday. Sometimes it can be hard to find a table.</p>
<p>There are some more positives like the beatiful setting and more spacious dorms. Here are the negatives that stuck out to me:</p>
<p>The bus. Many people try to make the bus seem like it is not so bad but it really is. Imagine this: You wake up at eight in the morning and get ready for your 9AM class. You leave your dorm at 8:30 and try to fight your way onto the bus but you fail. Dont worry, the next bus is pulling up right behind. You make it to class on time. It is the first of 4 classes of the day. You have some breaks in between classes but you cant go back to your dorm because of the bus. After you finish all of your classes you have to study in the library for a couple of hours. When you finish it is dark out and you just want to relax in your dorm. Wait! Where's the bus? Why is it taking so long?</p>
<p>Another negative is the gym on Newton. We call it the hut. DO NOT WORK OUT THERE!! The weight room is the size of 2 dorm rooms and the equipment is like 80 years old. It may sound like I'm exaggerating but I'm not.</p>
<p>i was kinda bummed when i got newton also, i really wanted upper. i figure it wont be bad at all though. make the best of it and try not to have too many early classes</p>
<p>Don't fret SFeagle415. </p>
<p>I'm a BC alum who lived in Duchesne as a freshman. It was overall a very positive experience. Forged lasting friendships and have fond memories.</p>
<p>Newtonites are a close-knit group (lots of cross-pollination between Duchesne, Hardey/Cushing and Keyes) and the campus has a certain cachet.
Wear the badge proudly.</p>
<p>The social scene consists of mostly smallish get-togethers. There were occasional floor parties and a couple of rooms that had specific scenes that you needed to be in with to partake. But mostly an open door policy and always lots of drop-ins. </p>
<p>There was a sizeable group of Soph guys who chose to stay a 2nd yr on Newton because they liked it so much and didn't want to live on Upper Campus. Some people who are serious about their studies prefer the somewhat quieter environment. The library/study situation is ample for the student pop on Newton, whereas Bapst on Main Campus fills up in the evening. Some of the male dorms on Upper Campus are zoos--studying in your room is not an option. You may be better off on Newton.</p>
<p>Advice based on experience: try to get as much of your reading/studying done before dinner--schedule permitting--it really takes the pressure off. More planning & less procrastinating helps with the academic success/fun ratio. Balance is key. If you get your work done early, you're free to relax and enjoy.</p>
<p>Newton Campus used to be a convent/all-girls school before BC acquired it in the '70's when enrollment swelled. It's a lovely area. There's even a nature preserve adjacent complete with duck pond. I used to take a "walk in the woods" to clear my head once in a while. </p>
<p>You can walk to Newton Centre--shopping & dining alternatives.</p>
<p>Newton is not Siberia. You won't feel isolated. It's true that Upper Campus dwellers don't generally come to Newton to party, but that doesn't mean that you cannot venture up there. Besides you'll be on Main Campus for classes and meeting new people all the time. Newtonites are not social outcasts. </p>
<p>People at BC are friendly. It's easy to make friends as a frosh wherever you may roam. As long as you don't act like an out-of-control animal you will be welcome just about anywhere on campus. </p>
<p>Newton is not that far from Main Campus. I walked it all the time. Sometimes even in the middle of the night if I missed the last bus back. I always felt safe too. </p>
<p>Everyone complains about the bus.</p>
<p>Yes, it's unpredictable and overcrowded--packed in like sardines!</p>
<p>Tip of the day: if you live in Duchesne do not use the bus stop at the entrance/exit --especially in the early AM or before football games--chances are that you won't get on. Walk up to the stop where it originates--was behind the dining hall but check the route for yourself since that could have changed. Also don't spread it around--if everyone knows then obviously you lose your advantage.</p>
<p>Still the bus/sardine thing isn't all negative...I actually met my 1st BC boyfriend on the bus. He opened the rear door and pulled me in one morning when I got shut out. I didn't even know him (yet.) People are friendly and helpful at BC. You might use that technique to your advantage one day yourself!</p>
<p>Good luck and enjoy. And remember, Newton is not second best--it totally rocks.</p>
<p>Yeah the gym is really important to me, and I remember cringing when I saw Newton's "gym". But, I'm sure it'd be fine just to use the one at upper.</p>
<p>I have a few questions:
1) Is there "honors housing" and if so, is it on upper?
2) How often does the bus run between main campus and newton?
3) Are the actual dorm rooms in newton same as/better than/worse than upper's dorms?
4) Are BC dorms segregated by sex into halls or floors or just by suites and rooms?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>1) Yes there is honors housing, it is on Upper in a dorm called Medeiros. You have to complete an application during the summer to apply for this housing. ResLife will send you all the pertinent info.
2) I lived on Upper so I'm not POSITIVE, but I believe that in the morning during the week, the buses are lined up on Newton Campus, just waiting to take everyone to main campus. During the non-peak hours and evenings, you can catch the bus about every 10-15 minutes max.
3) The dorm rooms in newton are actually slightly BIGGER than those on upper, and maybe a tiny bit nicer. Overall, though, nearly all freshman rooms are the same. However, a good chunk of students on Upper live in "forced triples" (that is, when three students are forced to live in a room designed for two), while this is not an option on Newton (which is good for the Newtonites).
4) BC Freshman dorms are all co-ed, but they are segregated by sex by floor. (One exception to this rule is Fitzaga--That is, the large building on Upper that has one wing called Fitzpatrick and another called Gonzaga. Here, There may be males and females living on the same floor...males in the Fitzpatrick wing and females in the Gonzaga wing). For upperclassmen dorms, most students live in suites with their own bathrooms, in which case girls and guys may be living on the same floor (though obviously not in the same room).</p>
<p>1) I think there is housing for honors students is Medieros on Upper. Honors students dont have to live there though.</p>
<p>2) During class days between 8 and 3 the bus runs frequently. You wont even have to wait 10 minutes for a bus. On weeknds and week nights the bus can take a long time. More than once I have waited over 45 minutes for the bus.</p>
<p>3) I would say that the dorms on Newton are better than the ones on upper because they are mostly doubles and huge quads. Upper has tons of forced triples where there are three students in a double room. Newton doesnt have any of that. A thing I liked about upper was that each dorm room has a trash barrel outside of the room and the cleaning people empty the trash. Newtonians have to handle their own trash.</p>
<p>4) The halls are segregated by floor. The first two floors are usually male floors.</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>