Hi everyone! I’m having a hard time deciding which dorm to sign up for, so here are some facts about me:
- I have a hard time sleeping if the surroundings are not dead quiet
- I am a good boy who prefers a substance-free location that doesn't throw many parties
- As long as the dorm isn't too far away from campus, I don't mind walking a bit extra every day
- I am not a picky eater
If anyone can shed some insight to the different dorms (Unit1/2/3, Foothill, etc), and suggest one that would best suit me, I would greatly appreciate it 
I was looking around at the different housing options for Cal and I think Foothill would be the best fit for you*
Foothill is on the north side of campus and is a co-ed dorm. It’s far away from a lot of hustle and bustle closer to Units 1, 2, and 3, so it should tranquil enough for you to fall asleep. It’s mostly filled with engineers because their classes are super close to it. Some people describe the dorm as a bit anti-social, but others have said that if you make an effort you’ll be able to see that most of the residents there are social but not to the point where they’d throw a party with alcohol and such and such. I think Foothill, Stern, and Bowles share the same dining hall and the food there is okay from the reviews I’ve read. It may fluctuate between good and not-so-good, but your meal plan is good for most other places on campus so there’s always that.
Last thing to note is that Foothill is apparently on a hill so there is a “killer incline” if you have classes on the south side of campus and are returning home.
This is all of what I’ve heard of Foothill, but I encourage you to read around before making a decision.
*Stern (all girls) and Bowles (all guys) are all in that vicinity too if you’re interested in single-sex dorms.
Foothill would be a good choice - it is in “Northside” a much quieter part of Berkeley altogether (away from the downtown/Telegraph part of town). Many math and engineering majors choose to live there because of proximity to classes and students tend to be more studious and less party oriented. My son lived there his Freshman year, in a suite with 4 doubles. The roomates all became good friends, eating together, playing video games, going to movies and football games, etc. They all moved into apartments their sophomore year and choose to stay on the Northside.
My son also liked the Foothill dining commons, although his favorite place to eat (on the meal plan) was the Qualcomm Cafe.
Foothill and Bowles sound like they would suit you. I don’t actually know anyone personally who lives in Bowles, though, so I can’t say much about it. All I know is that this year, there’s been construction for a parking garage super close by. One thing about Foothill is that when there are games, there’s a lot of traffic, but it doesn’t really affect daily living. This year, there’s been construction, although the site a bit further away from Foothill. Also, garbage trucks/construction starts at around 6 AM so that’s kind of a pain. Food is all right sometimes, but I’m a pretty picky eater.
“Southside” aka where the units are in my opinion, not that safe. Sometimes when there are protests, riots occur over there. Also, there are yelling homeless people. It’s also removed from STEM classes.
If you don’t get into Foothill, here is an old thread about one of the dorms in Unit 1 that is “substance free”:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/923941-housing-unit-1-substance-free.html
More information:
http://www.housing.berkeley.edu/housing/SFE_Terms_Conditions.pdf
Some dorms at Clark Kerr are designated as “quiet environment” (check with the housing office to see if that is still true). Here is an old thread:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-berkeley/348038-clark-kerr.html
I’m pretty sure Bowles won’t be available next year as they are renovating it and converting it to co-ed housing.
Thanks everyone for the detailed and informative responses Right now I’ve narrowed it down to Foothill or Unit 1 (Substance Free), but I’m leaning towards the former. Foothill’s description does seem to match my desires hehe.