Questions about Baits II

I’m desperately trying to find answers about Baits II. I recently got my contract and it said that is where I’ll be staying. I looked into it and I’ve found mainly negative things about it, but I’ve also noticed that a lot of what has been said was from 2009-2011. Does anyone who has recently stayed in Baits have anything to say about it? What was it like? Is it really as bad as everyone is making it out to be?

My main concern is the social scene. I’ve been reading that it’s harder to make friends and that people aren’t as friendly to the first-year students. At the same time, the U of M website says that mainly first-year students stay in the Baits buildings, so I’m not sure what to think.

Like I said, I’d appreciate the input of anyone who has recently been over there or stayed in Baits II. A list of pros and cons would be nice. I just want an up-to-date opinion.

I lived there last year. Baits gets a bad rap. It is first-year students…all coming in with this exact same concern.

Keep in mind, no matter how good or bad any dorm/housing assignment may seem - your relationship with your roommate is truly the wildcard. With a bad roommate, you aren’t going to want to spend time there - be it East Quad or Baits.

And the social scene? It is what you make it, not what happens in your dorm room. You will find yourself all over campus, making friends in many dorms and eating within all the dining halls from swanky South Quad, busy MoJo, to convenient Bursley.

PRO: Mostly, everyone gets a shared suite bath - not community - which translates into not having to deal with strangers throwing up everywhere in your space. The bus stop is literally right out your front door (use the app to time its arrival and you won’t spend anytime stuck waiting in the weather). It does tend to be quieter so you can get homework done - which you will find out is a plus because a lot of freshmen tend to underestimate the workload until they get here. There are great community spaces within the complex like a theater room to watch the games, laundry room with an app to tell when your stuff is done, and some other fun things tucked within the houses that make up the Baits complex.

CON: You do have to walk across the street to the dining hall at Bursley though, which isn’t always fun in the dead of winter - but you’ll easily make friends there too.

ADVICE: Build your schedule so that you spend the entire day on central campus without needing to come back. Use the time between classes/work to enjoy the amenities there - recreation building, libraries, dining, fishbowl…etc. because that is where you will really find your friends - not in your dorm room.

Good luck!
Go Blue!