<p>We just visited and were impressed by what we saw at Delaware. Seems like a great place to be.
The one negative we saw on the tour were the dorms (over by"the beach".) The dorm did not have a lobby. You enter into a narrow and ugly alcove without any security and then use a badge to enter the dorm right by kids rooms. Very dark and dreary atmosphere. Does not seem inviting. The room we saw was dark and gloomy. The outer separate area of the dorm room was for studying, where the desks are, which is nice as one student can sleep while the other studies, however, that area (desks) is so dark. No natural light at all in that part of the room.
Are all the dorm rooms in that part of campus the same? As there is no lobby, where do you get your mail? What if you get a big, heavy package? Are there dorm or floor activities? No front desk...so where do you check out vacuums or report any problems?
What are the freshmen dorms like on the other side of campus. I believe hey are suites.<br>
Upperclass dorms (on the green?) Are they more pleasant? Lobby's with mailboxes and a staffed front desk? Brighter rooms?</p>
<p>I don't know about every dorm but the ones I've been in have a mailroom that the RAs take turns at. My RA has always gone and got a package for me if I couldn't be there during the right time so I haven't had any problem getting packages. And if it's a heavy one, I bribe a cute guy with a cookie or something and they carry it up for me! I don't know any dorms with check out vacuums but every floor seems to have a couple people who have them it isn't a problem. They make a huge deal about not letting anyone in with you when you badge into a building (only people in that dorm can badge in). It doesn't seem to be a problem. I'm in honors so that's Russell, Lane and Thompson. At first I was ****ed that I didn't get into Russell which has bigger rooms and a little alcove area for your desk. My room is typical old dorm room. Sure I'd like to have a huge super modern room and there are lots of places on campus that have them, but I've had an awesome year and it turns out that it really doesn't matter about the room at all. I never would have believed that. I think on my tour I saw a Lane room and remember thinking that it was the worst dorm I'd ever seen. Who knew I'd live in one of those type rooms and LOVE it!! The RAs and RFs in my building are always having stuff that we can do if we want. I don't know where I'm going to live next year but being by the beach has been the best!</p>
<p>It all depends on what you want... the sense of community in Russell, Lane, & Thompson cannot be beat. Yes, the dorms are pretty run down but I lived there and I survived. If you want luxury, you can live in suites on other parts of campus, or if you are female, you can live in Warner. It is on the green and is stunning inside... many fireplaces, formal dining room, couches, pianos, etc... but the great community feeling of east campus isn't there. </p>
<p>Honestly, I put a lot of emphasis on quality of dorms/campus/etc when I was looking for colleges and what I came to find out was that it really didn't matter. It's all what you make of the situation you're in. You can be in the nicest, most luxurious dorm and be miserable or you can be living in a hole having the time of your life.</p>
<p>Thanks for your responses.
I agree that the dorm room itself is secondary. It's the kids you meet and the schools itself. I'm sure the better dorms await.
Do I understand that the mail is delivered to your dorm and the RA gets it and hands it out? Where do packages go to? Your dorm or elsewhere?
The room on with the alcove we saw was pretty tiny and the hall was sparse and quiet, but I suppose the kids all know one another and there was more to be seen.....
Thanks again. Any more input is great!</p>
<p>I don't know what building you were in but I know that each student has a mailbox somewhere in the building and there are resident life offices which are open and staffed certain hours of the day.. this is where your student would go to pick up a package.</p>
<p>I wonder if they took you in a back way or something because everyone has their own little mailbox. And I can't think of any building that I've been in that doesn't have some type of big lounge room and some type of kitchen. Sometimes they're in the basement.</p>
<p>We went in from "the "beach" side. We entered the building into a narrow corridor to reach the door to the dorm rooms. Just outside the inner door was a place to swipe the entry card and a phone. Is there a nicer entrance to the dorm elsewhere? Where do students in that area park at least when they are dropped off for school with all their stuff?
Another thought- where is the ethernet connection in those dorms with the little separate closet/desk areas? Do you need an extra long cable and wind it around the room if you want the computer in the bed area?
When you are ready to move to nicer dorms in sophomore year, can you get in? Where do you choose to go?
Thanks.</p>
<p>My son is a freshman living in Russell this year. There aren't any "formal" entrances to this dorm, but that hasn't seemed to be an issue. This residence hall has been great for the students to get to know each other and make friends. This year Russell A & B have been renovated and will open in the fall. Two or three of the other Russells will be closed in the fall and will be renovated also. New windows, doors, furniture, bathrooms, etc. </p>
<p>When you drop off your son or daughter in August, you are allowed to park right outside the building to unload everything. It was very well organized and flowed smoothly. I would recommend getting there early, regardless of when they say to arrive. As residents of NJ we were supposed to arrive in the afternoon, but we got there midmorning and it was fine. No one said anything about it. When we would bring our son back after a visit home, we were allowed to park right next to the building to drop off items, but someone needed to stay with the car.</p>
<p>If you put your desk in the front area, you don't need a very long cable especially if your desk is right under the port. If you want to loft your bed and put your desk under it (which my son did), you would need a very long cable or a wireless system, which he has. Be forewarned that the college does not give technical support for wireless systems if there is a problem. You can have one, but if there is a problem you are on your own to solve it. The nice thing about lofting the beds and putting the desks under them is that you then can create a little sitting/tv area in the front part.</p>
<p>We shall see if my son gets in one of the newer dorms for next year. He asked to be in the new hall on the North Campus that will open for the fall. They are supposed to find out their room assignments this week.</p>
<p>My son has received a number of packages this year, both large and small and it has not been a problem at all. Letters he just picks up in his mailbox.</p>
<p>If you think of anything else, just let me know. All in all, it has been a great year for him. He is very happy at UD.</p>
<p>I really am not being rude, but I think crazed you are a parent and you're getting a little too "crazed" about the dorm situation when your kids hasn't even applied!<br>
But anyways usually over half the kids in the Russell complex are in honors so if your kid isn't in honors, there's a good chance he or she won't even be living there. We had problems with our internet when we moved in but they have people from IT all over on move in day helping you get it set up. My cord doesn't have to be long but my roomie's is because the connection is on my side of the room.
Also on move in day they have faculty, staff and upperclassmen there to move you in and it goes really quick. You dump your stuff on the sidewalk and people just swope in and bring it to your room. Which is why it's important to put a piece of tape with your name and room number on everything. After you unload the car they make your parents move the car to a parking lot right away.
For sophomore year, people put in for what they like best. Some people stay in the same general area and other people try a different part of campus. But by then you know what you like and just hope you get your first choice. The priority is seniors get assigned first and on down the line. It doesn't seem a whole lot different from my friends at other schools although some can bid on the actual room they want, not just which dorm.</p>
<p>Popsicle:
Actually, this Mom had concerns with the dorms. Not unduly though as it would and should not make or break choosing a school. Overall the school left me with a great impression, except for the dorm we saw which was pretty horrible. I myself went to two univ. and obviously have seen others in my day and now looking at schools for the kids (have a college Freshman) so I have plenty to compare it to.</p>
<p>I spoke with a women today who visited UD this past week also. She entered the dorm another way and although she was not impressed by what she saw, it was better than what we got on my tour. Our guide should have told us that it we were using a back entrance. She left us with the impression that the back door (if that is way it was) was the only way in and out.</p>
<p>Like I said... the dorms are secondary to everything else, but nonetheless, I am happy to be able to come to CC for the real scoop and always great insight from parents and students. Now lets just hope my son gets in to the school he wants, whereever that may be.</p>
<p>I know exactly what you mean. My son visited Delaware four times and we have done the Russell 'dorm tour'. It really does not show well at all. In fact, it was the only thing about UD that we found to be deficient. All the students we spoke with rave about the East campus environment, however, and it appears that there is a lot of newer housing on the north side available after the freshman year. Clearly it was a case of the many positives outweighing this one negative, as my son is very much looking forward to being a Blue Hen this fall.</p>
<p>A student can't pick their dorm freshman year at UDel anyway, right? </p>
<p>My oldest D had the worst dorm her freshman year (not UDel) ... claustrophobic rooms, dingy hallways etc. She was very upset at first at not getting into the "nice" dorms. But as it turned out, there was such a sense of comraderie in her dorm, sort of a bonding in their mutual misery kind of thing, that she made some great lasting friendships. She now says that if she were to do it over again she wouldn't have wanted it to be any different.</p>
<p>My biggest concern is safety, and I get the feeling that the dorms are very safe. Any input in regards to safety?</p>
<p>My daughter is a second year student at UDel. She grew up in a suburban/semi-rural area which feels more like a bubble. Naturally we were and are concerned abut safety but we haven't seen anything these past two years that make us think UDel is a dangerous place, or to be more precise, more dangerous than a typical college town.</p>
<p>Unfortunately students are a good target for people with bad intentions. Some student activities (aka, parties and drinking) also place them in riskier situations including those that involved elements from outside the community. Problems have occurred since our daughter started attending the school and they are well documented. From our perspective the university has responded well to them.</p>
<p>At the end of the day a good dose of common sense is the most important ingredient in making UDel ,and any universities for that matter, safe. To complement that the university provides valuable resources such as public safety. My daughter made extensive use of that support during her freshman year (less now that she has a car).</p>
<p>My son did get into one of the new dorms on north campus, with air conditioning and a private bathroom (shared with 3 other guys). It's good to know that 2 of the 5 Russells have already been refurbished and will open in the fall. The others will also be modernized.</p>
<p>MATTMOOSEMOM:
Sounds like your son got a great placement!
AC is a priority for my son as he is always hot, even in the winter.
We are in the midst of compiling a good list of schools for him and Delaware is at the top! We the increased competitiveness, this is not an easy task.</p>
<p>Continued success (and fun) to alt hose already at UD and good luck to all the future Blue Hens.</p>