Should I consider a change of dorm?

Student Lounge College Life
1

<p>Hello to all you wonderful people. Let me provide some background info into my question. </p>

<p>I am a UCSB freshman residing in the Santa Catalina dorms. For those who currently attend or have attended UCSB, you already know the reputation of FT (as many call it). For those who don't, let me go into greater detail for your benefit. </p>

<p>The residence hall, FT (or as some call it, F*** Towers), is situated around a mile ~ one and a half miles away from the main campus. Because of this, the dorms come with certain luxuries, such as a pool, dining common, a variety of rooms for studying, kitchens, gyms, and most important of all, bigger rooms than the usual doubles/triples elsewhere. Because of this, you would think that it would be great- it is. However, FT is also known as the one of the more rowdy dorms. Certain floors get very noisy, alcohol and drugs all over (depending on who you are placed near), and people waking people past midnight with their noise. </p>

<p>Now, normally this wouldn't bother me too much since these are qualities my brother (with whom I've share a room all my life) has been 'blessed" with. However, having around 10 people stampede into your room past midnight in a drunken stupor to hide from the RA, and commanding you to "keep your mouth shut" as you calmy ask them to leave, makes one reconsider all the good things here. It was then I realized I had the misfortune of landing on the "party" floor, since the subsequent nights have pretty much been noisy like all hell. </p>

<p>Another big issue is the distance from the main campus. It is hard to describe the feeling- I would say it is dangerously similar to isolation. Yeah, it feels like everything interesting occurs on the main campus, and I'm missing out. I also can't carry my books to study in between classes without having to waste around 30~40 minutes taking the bus/walk combination to come back to the dorms (because I don't currently have the money for a bike, and don't foresee having it in the future). Otherwise, I'd have to lug around 3-4 heavy books at all time, and learn to live with a permanently sore shoulder. </p>

<p>Tell me- what would all of you suggest if you were in my shoes? Do you think I should request to be placed on a waiting list for a dorm change? I would appreciate any and all (non-negative) advice. </p>

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<p>Why not get on the waiting list? You can always decide to switch/not switch later.
Can you talk to other people that like to spend time on your floor and see if they want to switch?
Can you get electronic copies of your books so they are easy to take around?
Would a bicycle work better in getting to campus?</p>

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<p>If that’s the case, I’ll likely get on the waiting list. </p>

<p>By other people do you mean people in other rooms? Floors? Or entirely different resident hall?</p>

<p>E-books are an option, yes. But I didn’t have a device capable of storing them until after I bought my books, which I managed to find at astounding discounts since I hunted earlier than usual. </p>

<p>A bicycle is invaluable to FT residents, or so I’m told. However, I don’t have the cash to buy one, the bike lock, or the registration fee. </p>

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<p>I think you should put yourself on the waiting list if your current residence hall isn’t for you. I don’t go there, but I know UCSB definitely isn’t for everyone vibe-wise, haha. Especially if you’re in a dorm that doesn’t fit, that feeling can be exacerbated. </p>

<p>For the time being, maybe you could work something out with your roommate if he keeps on bringing unwanted guests over? And I know you can get bikes on Craigslist and the like for super cheap, so I would check there–if you manage to get an alternate form of transportation, you could save a lot of time (and thus stay on the main campus for longer). </p>

<p>Best of luck! </p>

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<p>I mean some of those people who like to “party”…would they prefer to be on the party floor?</p>