<p>Does anyone have any experience with special interest housing at penn state university park for an incoming freshman? My D is interested in the BE engaged house but is wondering if it is a good idea or would it be smarter to just leave her housing open to chance.</p>
<p>Also any experience with finding a roomate on facebook?</p>
<p>Wondering if meeting a roomate on facebook is a good or bad idea.</p>
<p>quest. My son stayed in south in the honors housing. Now as a senior he lives off campus with most of the guys he lived with as a freshman. So it was great for him.</p>
<p>I think any of the special interest houses are a great idea.</p>
<p>i would do everything not to have my student end up in East halls. Its just freshman and quite a bit of rowdiness that you cannot get away from.</p>
<p>Nothing wrong with the facebook idea if the girls are honest with their needs.</p>
<p>Good Luck to your d. My son had an awesome 4 years.</p>
<p>You’re correct…the girls need to be forthcoming and honest with who they are in order to find a roomate that works through facebook.</p>
<p>Quest, BE House sounds like a nice group but you might suggest that she check out HAC (Helping Across the Community House) also. The reason is that it is not in East. The location is much better (closer to classes and main quad) and these students have a nice focus also. I am not sure how much the rowdiness of East infiltrates BE House. I would suggest that you go and visit to see!
My daughter had two friends in HAC House - one became very involved in Circle K, which is a service organization, in addition to the HAC activities, and the other wanted to live in HAC House to be close to the ice skating arena as she was a hockey player, but ended up getting quite involved in the HAC activities also.
Facebook roommates: I don’t know! Many random roommates end up fine, though. When my daughter was an RA, she oversaw some “overflow housing” with four guys in one room. They loved each other so much that they refused to split up when other housing became available.</p>
<p>East isn’t all bad - although I’m sure it can be roudy, my D loves it there and she is NOT a partier. I guess she got lucky because her floor is really friendly and not wild and crazy. She’s close to her commons and the gym which helps but she does have a good hike (or bus ride) to most classes. She’s in the very back of East.</p>
<p>How large is East complex? How far fom the library?</p>
<p>Yes, an advantage to East is that it is near most athletic facilities (although there are also smaller gyms near South). I would say it is about a 15 or 20 minute walk to the Main quad - and that walk could be a health benefit too! But there is also a campus bus. Some students want to be in East because they are with all of the freshmen. I am only saying this because of Quest’s prior posts about concerns.</p>
<p>Does that mean that it is a 15 minute walk to the library?</p>
<p>What do people think: 15 minutes? 20 minutes? It probably depends on how fast you walk!</p>
<p>Is anyone familiar with BE involved special interest group?</p>
<p>I wonder if there is pressure to join volunteer programs and how time consuming that can be.</p>
<p>East halls houses approx. 4,000 students I believe. I don’t think it is too far to the library and buses come right in front of East Halls all the time. That being said, my d says she leaves about 30 minutes early for each class - you never know when a bus will be too crowded and pass you by. Questbest, I don’t know if there is pressure to join volunteer programs but almost everyone takes part in some way in Thon. It’s a really wonderful charity program that goes on all year and culminates in the big dance marathon, that takes place this weekend coincidentally.</p>
<p>I didn’t mean pressure on campus, I meant are students pressured to join many volunteer groups if they are in the BE Invoved Special Interest Housing?</p>