<p>what's wrong with donner?</p>
<p>fwiw my S lived in Donner. To boot he was in the basement, all male floor. He wasn't thrilled about the assignment.</p>
<p>Turns out he and nearly everyone on his floor loved it. Very social kids, a number joined S the next year in same fraternity (his experience was much of the entire dorm liked to have a good time, perhaps that was just an abberation for his particular freshman year). Nearly everyone on the floor did things together, esp on weekends, and he loved that. </p>
<p>Location is good, and the rooms are actually big. Theirs was huge. Redone not long ago on the inside. The outside is horrible but it's the inside that counts.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info. Initially, my reaction was 'arghh donner!' hehe (it was my 3rd choice) but now after doing some research, Im pretty happy with donner :)</p>
<p>I lived in Donner my first year. First floor. It's ugly outside, big rooms inside. And it was a very friendly, open-door atmosphere. Although, lucky u guys. THe bathrooms recently got renovated so that should be nice too.</p>
<p>Donner's a very average place... just be glad you got one of your top 3 choices cause I didn't my freshman year.</p>
<p>Floors have their own atmosphere. You'll find that you'll know everyone on your floor (or if you're in Small Oakland Housing, everyone under the same RA) by the end of the year. So... don't shut yourself in; be social and help other people out. Maybe plan some group activities to break the proverbial ice between rooms on the floor.</p>
<p>Like some kids threw a few small parties in my building at the beginning of the year just so everyone got to know each other, and that really helped build community in my building, while next door didn't seem to have as much of a community.</p>