Official Dormitory Thread (calling current students!)

<p>I don't advise people against it, but I do tell them what they are likely exchanging.</p>

<p>On the topic of food, what exactly are all the available plans. And which one would you suggest to a heavy eater and a food lover (I love to eat many types of food and if I get hungry I cannot concentrate)..</p>

<p>There are basically two, the one with 2500 points (that's included with the contract) and the one with 3000 points ($250 dollars more). The way that the points work, you can add them at any time, but I think that 500 points at any other time then when you decide will cost you a lot more than $250. Basically, you'd be buying in bulk. I had this plan this year, and had many points to use on groceries and guests. The food in the dining commons is decent to pretty good. Some items are sub part, but it's improving, and compared to what it was a few years ago, is amazing (they fired the entire staff and started from scratch). Something I must add, though, is that the city of Berkeley has AMAZING food, much of it fairly close to certain dorm complexes. Some of the food is a few bus rides or medium sized walk away from where most people live (it's on Northside, most people are on Southside), but it's worth it to get there and pay for it (well, besides perhaps the ridiculously priced, not that I've eaten at Chez Panice (sp), but I'm sure it's good (worth the price? I don't know)). Anyway, my point is, Berkeley has a lot of great off campus food, most of it for about 5 to 6 dollars.</p>

<p>Ya I've been to Naan 'n Curry (for an Indian that's tired of Indian food.. it was wonderful). I plan on going to that Thai place after Cal Day.</p>

<p>In any case thanks for explaining. What would you reccommend though? For a pretty heavy eater? Or is the 3000pt one overkill?</p>

<p>For authentic, more rural seeming food, go to Thai house, but for more modern Thai food, go to the place on Northside right across from Andronico's. I think it's better. That's what I recommend!</p>

<p>But how often do you expect to eat at the dining halls? Do you expect to eat breakfast? Sometimes? All the times? 1 meal a day regularly, sometimes two? How many sandwiches, fries, smoothies, chicken strips, ect do you expect to buy every day? How often will you buy groceries? Will you buy a lot? How much of your groceries do you expect to come from the bear market, and how much from money? If you plan on eating breakfast regularly, and buying a lot of groceries, mostly at the bear market, and frequently getting snacks on campus, and eating lunch and/or dinner fairly often at the dining commons, then you should probably get the 3000 point plan. If you just get the 2500 point plan, you can always add points at any time, as you can with the 3000 point plan. It's not too big of a deal either way. At the dining commons, how much you eat isn't an issue, but how often. When buying snacks, this is different. If you expect to eat off campus often, which has so much good food, then the 2500 plan might work for you. Either way, remember it's not that big of a deal and that you can always add more later. If you end up with extra, you can try all sorts of foods from the bear market, or buy your friends without points food, or merely lose them.</p>

<p>I'm sorry I can't be more helpful than this, and hope this helped you.</p>

<p>yeah no drab this helps so much. i plan on coming up to cal next week over break and then again for cal day. i really want to get a tour of the dorms but do i have to make an appointment or should i just go up there and ask my friends who go there to show me around? which do you think would be a better idea? </p>

<p>of course knowing the food in the area is so vital! my number one priorities are housing and food. :-)</p>

<p>a friend of mine last year applied for housing and got a triple in unit 2 on a coed floor and was freaking because he saw the dorm and it was so cramped. then about a week, week and half before he left.. he got a notice stating he was moved into a mini suite in unit 2 with the guy he requested to b with and would share the suite with a triple next door. </p>

<p>does this happen? if you apply for housing and then they change it before you actually go? </p>

<p>thanks!</p>

<p>I heard that Clark Kerr is less social because it has more suites and is so big and that the units are much better (socially) for an incoming freshman. is that true?</p>

<p>also, out of the units, what units are the nicest? Are they all close to one another?</p>

<p>I have had really good food off campus everytime I visity Berkeley. I ate at that indian restraunt on telegraph and a Thai restraunt I cant remember the name of.</p>

<p>the more i talk about the food there.. the more i hear its really good and unique off campus. whats the deal w/peet's coffee? what is it exactly? how far is it from campus?</p>

<p>Clark Kerr is "less social" because the rooms aren't as cramped together as they are in the Units. The hallways in Units are typically narrower than those in CKC, which may or may not contribute to the social atmosphere. But, there are different buildings in CKC, and not all of them are suites buildings. For example, my building is hall-style and the setting is similar to that of the non-suite Unit buildings, and there are definitely to socialize and make friends with fellow floormates. </p>

<p>There's a Peet's at Crossroads DC/The Den between Units 1 and 2. The closest Peet's store/cafe, I think, is on Shattuck? Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.</p>

<p>The unit rooms are pretty small, but a good thing is that your neighbors' doors are just a few feet away!</p>

<p>out of the units, which are the nicest? are they all close to one another? how many people does each unit house, approxiamtely?</p>

<p>each floor has ~26 students.</p>

<p>Two questions</p>

<p>1) Do Regents Scholars get priority housing?</p>

<p>2) Are the Clark Kerr suites mostly upperclassmen? Do they tend to not socialize with incoming freshmen? Also, do more people tend to stay in their rooms in the CKC suites?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>in the units though.. what concerns me is not so much meeting other people.. ill figure that out whether im in the units or not... its teh coed bathrooms that totally freak me out. are there a lot of floors w/coed bathrooms? the biggest risk im afraid of in the units is getting a triple w/a coed bathroom... that could pose a major problem for me at berkeley.. its uncomfortable and creepy for me... any thoughts on the bathrooms? </p>

<p>and btw.. who voted for coed bathrooms dude? its not 1964 anymore! it's too gross... ew...</p>

<p>(sry to all those who like the coed bathrooms.. it just creeps me out.. sry)</p>

<p>This thread is really helpful!</p>

<p>Does anyone know the exact process for housing for Fall Extension students? And since we don't have guaranteed housing, then what kind of rooms will we probably get?</p>

<p>bchbabe704, you can request an all girls floor in the units. Either that or Stern/Foothill if you don't mind them being antisocial.</p>

<p>luceusnoodles, usually triple in the unit.</p>

<p>bchbabe704 - I live on an all girls floor b/c my parents wanted me to.</p>

<p>Frankly, my advice would be to do a coed floor, unles you're SUPER SUPER uncomfortable with boys. While I'm friendly with the people on my floor and have made a few closer friends, it's no secret our floor is pretty much the dead floor. THis is not to say that other floors are wildly rambunctious; our floor is just literally dead. You walk down the hallway and you can't tell whether there's people in or not. </p>

<p>Also, our bathroom is still technically coed. It's just that it's largely used by girls since girls live on the floor and there's no reason a boy on another floor would use ours to shower. But plenty of boys still use the bathroom throughout the day, and many girls have boyfriends stay overnight, and so quite a few guys use our bathroom especially on the weekends. Still I will admit, our bathroom is a bit cleaner (but not by THAT much)</p>

<p>The concept of a coed bathroom kind of weirded me out when I first heard about it, but it's been fine.</p>

<p>I see. I guess it can't be helped since we aren't really guaranteed housing. But do we apply for housing after we figure out we are in the extension program or before?</p>