<p>What's living in Westco like? Is it known on campus as more of a party dorm? How true do the residents stay to the artsy/alternative mission statement?
Thanks!</p>
<p>With the recent upgrade of Clark Hall, one could say Westco (and, the rest of Foss Hill) now consitute the oldest dorms on campus, with many of the advantages and disadvantages of age and tradition. For example, there’s only one bathroom per floor, which right away becomes your first test of democracy in action: gender by floor or unisex? OTOH, they didn’t skimp on space when they designed the buildings. Each numerical unit (1-4) functions almost as its own “house” of between 30-40 people; the main hallways function as a kind of town square. </p>
<p>As far as party scene is concerned, I wouldn’t exactly call it “Animal House”. It’s more like, don’t plan on getting any work done in your room until pretty late; there’s always some reason to hang out in the hall or poke your head into someone else’s room. Plan on doing a lot of work in the library.</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p>Thanks, that’s a big help!!
So are you more of a fan of first year housing? (I’m a little worried many first years would be all rah, rah away from home, whereas I’ve lived away from home before and want to live in mixed year housing, at least that’s what I was thinking)</p>
<p>I was a fan of mixed-year housing until late in life I realized that most college reunions(including Wesleyan’s) are organized around revolving five-year cycles. As a practical matter this means you as a member of the class of <code>13 will have a better chance of meeting up with people who graduated five years ahead of you (class of</code>08) or five years later (class of `18) at future reunions than you will what’s-her-name, who was only one year ahead or behind you. </p>
<p>But, that’s getting WAY ahead of things! There’s certainly something to be said for having friends who already know the ropes academically, geographically and socially. I just wish the choices could be based on that variable alone and not on distance from campus, room configuration, etc…</p>
<p>I’ve requested to live in WestCo next year! Anyone else?</p>
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<p>This is some heavy, long-term logic when weighing freshmen housing options. :)</p>
<p>My daughter lived in a divided double at Westco for her first two years at Wesleyan. The second year was by choice which shows that she really enjoyed it! Although it is one of the older and funkier dorms and feels quite institutional (at least in my opinion), she valued the cooperative sense of community and especially the organized music events.</p>
<p>@studiomom I know this is 5 years later, but if she had a room with a balcony, which room did she choose? The one with the door that had access to the hall, or the room with the closet, where she had to walk through her roommate’s room to access the hallway? I can’t decide which might be better. Thanks!</p>