<p>So I keep hearing that the Castilian is great for freshman, but I never hear why? So if anyone who lives/lived there could give me info about the freshman experience there that would be great! I'm between this and honors dorms(if i get in LAH).</p>
<p>really? I’ve heard only bad things about that place. I was a transfer student and live at j26 but if I were a freshmen I would want to live at towers or dobie, both private dorms that allow more “partying”.</p>
<p>If I was a freshman again I’d live on campus first year if I couldn’t find somewhere cheaper.
Or get an apartment/live in a co-op. But not the private dorms.
Castilian = do not like.</p>
<p>isnt castillian on campus though? i dont want to live there if it feels like its disconnected from the rest of the campus.</p>
<p>No, it’s an off-campus, private dorm.</p>
<p>It’s very close but not on campus. One reason some freshmen like it is because rules are not strictly enforced; you have a lot of freedom there. Another plus for the Castilian is the availability of convenient parking.</p>
<p>The Castillian has absolutely zero security. Anyone can walk in and go up to the residential floors or parking garage unchecked.</p>
<p>If I were a father, I’d absolutely not want my daughters at Castillian.</p>
<p>I live in Dobie and I love it. I’m a sophomore transfer student, so in a lot of ways i’m like a freshmen in my experience here. Dobie is literally steps away from campus. I don’t know how “connected” Dobie is to campus but I think thats up to the individual person. I don’t feel isolated at all though just because Dobie has like 900 people and they are pretty friendly, but definitely cliquey for the most part. I probably don’t feel isolated just because I am involved in campus. The food is good on most days too, but sometimes its just “hit and miss”. The dessert is the best though. Security wise… there are security guards and sometimes I hear their walkie talkies making rounds throughout the middle of the night, but I also heard they barely check IDs if you come in past 11 pm. So I still think anyone can come in the building, just because its not card activated entry like the on-campus dorms. Just dead bolt your door every night.</p>
<p>Very low security. thats i suppose a plus but it depends how you look at it. if you have a car you will enjoy their garage. Otherwise, and especially if you get into LAH, go with the honors dorms. I think on campus is really the best way to go as a freshman.</p>
<p>i live at castilian and they have a security guard at night and they also have someone at their front desk all night - you have to take an elevator to the 11th floor where the front desk is before you get the main elevators to the rooms. it works. nothing fancy but my friends and i like it here.</p>
<p>longhorndude, welcome back. Cheering for the castilian again? make sure to tell people about the rash of burglaries in the garage</p>
<p>ya so i have a question about the castilian…what are the first 10 floors? lol. and what on campus dorms would be the best, besides stayin at the castilian. b/c as of now, the castilian is prolly where im gonna end up. thanks guys–</p>
<p>Longhorndude is back!! I wondered what happened to you. We missed the Castillian cheerleading. I’m the official SRD cheerleader, an unpaid position.</p>
<p>So is the Castilian any good or not? because I’m supposed to be living there next year and I’ve been reading some negative comments about it… I’m starting to get worried :/</p>
<p>uh, the castilian is okay. it is clean and has good security. but in my opinion too expensive.</p>
<p>And also the first 10 floors are the garage. but there has been recent vandalism here at the garage.</p>
<p>Good security?</p>
<p>The Castilian has NO security. Oh sure there is a desk but half the time it’s a student sitting there, especially when it’s late. When I lived there the people at the desk were talking with friends when I went to do my laundry late at night multiple times. I guess this is just them being nice but they let me move in my room even though I had left my ID at home. They didn’t even ask my mom for her ID either. I’m sure I could sneak a pack of dogs in there and no one would know. Anyone can walk in. Anyone. </p>
<p>I never ever saw a security guard while I was there, either. </p>
<p>I think that on campus is a good place for a freshman but I also don’t think that you have to experience living on campus to be connected to UT. Personally, from my experiences, if I could talk to my freshman self before I sent in the deposit for an on campus dorm, I’d tell myself to go for an off campus apartment not any sort of dorm.</p>
<p>UT Austin is a huge school and one of the main colleges in Texas. AND it’s located in the capital city. I don’t like to be pessimistic but security should be on the list of things you find important. A building near campus with hundreds of students in it that anyone can get into at any time is a potential target.</p>
<p>twizzlers, I said “good security” not excellant security. Actually, they didn’t let everyone in here. Yesterday there was two guys deliving coupons that put over the door for Jack in the Box, and the “idiots” went to the 11th floor elevator. and so they came by the front desk. and they stopped them. I guess those idiots wanted a quicker ride because they cannot stand the slowness of the elevators here. Well the security guard is here at night but he is a rent a cop. Yes I have seen him before.</p>
<p>Ah. so where do I get started…lemme just clarify some things that others have said first. Just know that I holding up a peace sign as I talk …so no arguments or pointing fingers. </p>
<p>“Another plus for the Castilian is the availability of convenient parking.” There has been 3 occassions this semester at the Castiliann where more than 12 cars were broken into at night time…the worst part is that the cars that were broken into were mostly on the 9th and 10th floor of the parking garage…Guess the thief was really convinced that parking is not secure at all …with not gates, security cameras, or security guard at all times (there is one …who I know very well cz he plays pool with me sometimes…anyways he only does few rounds/night)…heck I can even brink a truck, load all the motor bikes and drive away at any time. If you are bringing a car and willing to take the risk, more power to you but I just personally think its a waste of $525/semester. </p>
<p>“they have a security guard at night and they also have someone at their front desk all night” the security guard, once again, is only lazy ass fat p<em>(</em>&* & the girl who works the desk at night either txts her boyfriend at night or watches t.v shows so unless the SWAT team storms in the 11th floor, she would care less. She’s even thinking about chillin on the couch in the t.v lounge at night so if a phone rings, she can just walk over to the desk and grab it & the elevators are not visible at all from the t.v lounge…just trying to make a point its not as secure as some people think. </p>
<p>Now also, do me a favor and do not visit the Castilian’s cafeteria website b/c I don’t want any heart breaks in August. Lemme put it this way…the food is not as good as advertised. Now here is how the cafeteria looks like. There is a main lunch line and two bars outside. One of the bars is a salad bar where you would find chicken, egg, tuna, potato, etc. salad, lettuce, some fruits, etc. almost everyday. The other bar is like a big soda machine They have a soda machine just like mcdonalds or wendys where you get a cup and you can get unlimited coke…dr. pepper gatoraade…juices etc…once you’re in the cafeteria (avoid apple juice in the morning b/c it’ll give you an upset stomach). There is also a small corner where you can get cereal, milk, bannana, apple, etc. There is another small corner where you can get some cookies & sweets.
Now inside the cafeteria, there is another small room which is basically the main hot line or the lunch line …just like in any high school where you would find the real cooked meal. Now in there, they usually always have pizza and its as good as domino’s pizza which has been sitting in a microwave for 3 hours after its made…although they warm it up…you get the drift. The food today was chicken nuggets (damn i was surprised…well we only got 10 days of school left anyways). They usually have chicken everyday…those big pieces of chicken (STOP thinking KFC or boston market)… not that tasty (well not a whole lot of ppl at Castilian like it). Some times they have beef and pork …and they always have some vegetables.
The breakfast which closes down at 10 am is ALWAYS the same. Scrambled eggs (yellow color) with no salt but a little pepper that has no taste… just get some ketchup …you’ll live. Waffles and syrup. Those biscuits that mcdonals serves in breakfast but not as squishy and soft. Tinny little squares of potatoes (half of em overcooked). …can’t think of anything else but thats pretty much it for breakfast.
The only good thing about the food is that you will not have to cook your own! </p>
<p>Haven’t seen more than 4 ppl/semester swimming in their inside swimming pool & i am guessing it was cz it was too hot in their room lol…idk. Their tiny gym has NO free weights & 2/3 treadmills works…but they got TV’S all over the damn place…its like they don’t wanna miss out on anything. Ping pong table is broken… my friend broke it… they never fixed it. They could probably get new pool sticks, as I would look like a ■■■■■■ carrying my own down to the 11th floor. </p>
<p>The only thing I like on the 11th floor has to be the quite study room, conference room, and one of their pool tables. Oh … forgot to mention they also have a computer lab on the 11th floor…internet works “sometimes”. </p>
<p>Floor 1-10 is parking garage, 11th is lobby, 12-21 is floors with about 40 rooms on each I guess. Floor 12 13 14 are usually the quiet floors and as you go higher, they are considered to be louder floors. I am on the 13th floor and wrestled with suite mate 9 times last semester over loud music so choose carefully. Gotta say I love the view of the tower and the University from my window. Cleaning lady will usually clean your room every or once every two weeks I think and if you’re sleeping your ass off, she’ll skip you. If you nod or make any noise, she’ll come right in without any verbal warning …well except the first call. </p>
<p>The place is located like right over subway and big bite (the place to get burgers fries, pizza, buritos, etc). I would say Castilian is the closest to the drag where the CO-OP and most of the activity is. Dobie is the second closest. Towers is just a few blocks away. If you curious about restrictions, there will nobody here questioning your whereabouts unless you cause trouble…no curfews…nothing. </p>
<p>I am living at the quarters next year.</p>
<p>Hey, now, come on, more than one person has told me that the food at the Castilian - especially the salad bar - is pretty good. You’re going to scare the freshmen. :D</p>
<p>It’s not that bad, is it? </p>
<p>And everyone who has a meal plan is pretty tired of cafeteria food by April, I am sure!</p>