<p>hey ppl, i'm still waiting for a letter telling me who is going to be my rommie and my housemates. i asked and they told me i'll be living in a double room in cowell college, bulding 4 (apartments). questions:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Is there anybody living there? </p></li>
<li><p>Is there anybody who knows how are the apartments like? I find the pictures really 'unreal'... </p></li>
<li><p>Btw, cowell college opens on the 20th, isn't it ? </p></li>
<li><p>Christmas break. we are not allowed to stay in college???</p></li>
</ul>
<p>There are 2 layouts to the new apartments. They are all 2 stories. The building is 3 stories. So the bottom apartment has all of level 1, half of level 2. The top apartment has half of level 2, all of level 3. (I hope that makes sense, it's late...)</p>
<p>They all have 2 doubles, 2 singles, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, living room, and various closets. </p>
<p>I <em>think</em> all the Cowell ones are the floorplan with all the bedrooms on the same floor, but that might just be the apartments my friends happened to live in. The other plan (at Porter) is 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom on each floor.</p>
<p>If you have the first floorplan, the rooms are somewhat smaller. Plan to loft your bed and be cozy with your roommate. It's not bad though, you have an entire apartment to spread out in vs just a small dorm room. Rooms are slightly bigger in the second floor plan.</p>
<p>Christmas break is not included in the housing contract. You can fill out a form and pay an extra fee to stay over break. Spring break has no fees.</p>
<p>kewkiekid. thanks a lot! Actually, i was looking for some pictures of the apartments and stuff. you say, they are new? I thought they were built up in 1965... Anyway, the 'new' thing sounds perfect.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>About meals and stuff, i applied for a 5day meal plan... you know if people there normally take the 55day meal plan or others (I guess it depends on the person but here in Barcelona i’m used to cook in the flat's kitchenette) ? </p></li>
<li><p>Any great supermarket nearby? I was thinking in taking profit of that ‘all you care to eat thing’ and bring home some veggies, fruits and yogurts for the week-end.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The dorms opened in the 60s, but the apartments are new. I believe they opened in 2004 (possibly 2003?).</p>
<p>For meal plans, it really depends on how much you want to cook. If you're a new student, the 5 day is a good choice so you can socialize in the dining hall. I personally prefer cooking and took a minimal plan. You can change your plan next quarter if you want. When I lived in the apartments there were people with each type of plan.</p>
<p>They generally don't allow you to take food out of the dining hall. You can get a 'to go' box and get things that way, but you generally cannot eat a full meal and take food out with you.</p>
<p>For supermarkets we have:
Safeway (major chain)
costco (big box store)
trader joe's (more organic and exotic foods - also a chain)
Farmer's markets downtown
Whole Foods (organics, like trader joe's but more expensive) is opening soon
New Leaf (organics, locally grown foods, locally owned)</p>
<p>you can get to all but costco and whole foods with one bus from campus. the others will require 2 buses.</p>