<p>The following questions really shouldn’t have any bearing on my college decision, but I’m asking them at this critical moment in decision making anyways:</p>
<p>1) Are most dorms carpeted? The dorm I visited for Diversity Weekend was carpeted, which was odd because it was the only carpeted dorm I had ever seen.</p>
<p>2) Do any dorms have exercise equipment, or is it all in the athletics center?</p>
<p>3) Do any dorms have full-size baths? Shower stalls a great for a quick clean-up, but I never find showers relaxing. </p>
<p>4) Do any dorms have pianos? Also, I’ve heard that there are general-use “practice rooms,” where small, sound-proof rooms containing pianos may be used for pratice. Do these exist?</p>
<p>5) Do dorms have cable? I’m not a big television guy, but life without Jon Stewart, South Park and the Office would leave much to be desired.</p>
<p>6) Not really a dorm question, but I’m wondering if the campus gets free copies of “The Onion”? Maybe this is just a midwestern phenomenon, but I saw the NYT and other papers, so I’m just wondering.</p>
<p>I’m going to assume that you’re restricting your questions to first year dorms:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>All the dorms themselves have hardwood floors. Most of the dorm rooms are carpeted.
May I ask you which dorm you visited?</p></li>
<li><p>It’s all in the Alumni Gymnasium–which is very short walk from all the first year dorms.</p></li>
<li><p>To my knowledge, none of the first year dorms have full-sized baths, though the upperclassmen dorms may. I think they would be a rarity at most colleges, due to liability and maintenance costs.</p></li>
<li><p>Yep, you are absolutely right. There are a number of these soundproof practice rooms in the basement connecting two of our first year dorms. And, if you’re curious, you could always feel free to play the pianos at Keefe Campus Center and Valentine Dining Hall.</p></li>
<li><p>All dorms have cable. And wireless. The latter is especially important if you want to study by yourself or with friends in “nooks” with your laptops, or if you want to play X-Box Live and whatnot. Many of my friends at other colleges and universities suffer from a lack of wireless, so they either have to stay plugged into their rooms or head to the library.</p></li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li>I know how you feel: I’m a New Yorker, and I used to love picking up a copy on my way to school every week. Nope, sorry, you’ll have to rely on The Indicator, which is, most times, just as funny, and touches upon real issues that are affecting Amherst and the greater world. And, we do get the NYT and a number of other papers, as you mentioned, which is important.</li>
</ol>
<p>I visited a dorm on the second floor of South Hall.</p>
<p>By the way, I was specifically interested in the soundproof rooms so that I would NOT have to play in Valentine. I do not yet play piano, but the soundproof rooms would be a great way to learn.</p>
<p>There are practice rooms in the music building that are soundproofed and have pianos.</p>
<p>Also, the Onion is online. I would recommend reading it there, because you also get things like the Onion Radio News (audio) and the Onion News Network (video), which you can’t get in the print version.</p>