<p>Daughter is going to FSU this fall and is very excited. She has a low priority number and is trying to decide between Wildwood and Gilchrist but she really has no idea which way to go. She definitely wants a suite style dorm, new or renovated, and as large as it can be. </p>
<p>DD is artsy, free-spirited, friendly, warm and outgoing. She's not interested in playing/watching sports, joining a sorority or a living in a learning community. </p>
<p>Can anyone please offer opinions on these two particular dorms? Are rooms noticeably larger/smaller in one vs. the other? How easy is it to socialize in the two? Is Wildwood really too far from the dining hall or is that exaggerated? Are these dorms known for any particular type of student? (ie, since Wildwood is near the gym, is it full of athletes?)</p>
<p>Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!</p>
<p>My D roomed in Gilchrist as a freshman. She loved the central location. Rooms vary. Due to the fact they gutted the building and rebuild from the inside, there are quirky rooms here and there. Sometime there is an unusually small double and sometimes a very roomy double. Some of the triples are huge. Suite style dorms are not as social in general, but if you are friendly and outgoing it is not hard. My D actually suggests to friends to think about a triple, Two roommates to bebriend and what is usually a very roomy room.</p>
<p>I’m in Tallahassee right now for a preview and we toured both these dorms today. They are my daughters top two choices, but after today, she is bumping Wildwood off the list, or maybe putting it 4th. The rooms are larger, and newer, and have wifi, but Gilchrist was just so much nicer. The location was great, and her friends who are sophomores now live in Devinney, and they said they wish they had asked for Gilchrist or another one of those older dorms last year.</p>
<p>just remember that you have to have a dining plan with Gilchrist and the other renovated dorms. also, much of Gilchrist is used for honors students so even with a low priority number you might not get it. My son put Gilchrist as his first choice and his number was 35 and he got his second choice. So have a good second choice just in case.</p>
<p>Wildwood has wi-fi,which is a big plus for many students. Not all of the dorms do. It is a solid 10 minute walk from the dining hall(s), so if you want a meal plan it isn’t the best choice. It is a very nice, new dorm with decent rooms. My freshman son lives there and loves it. </p>
<p>Meal plans are an important question too – most students don’t recommend one, and I know my son quickly decided they were a bad idea. It is cheaper to eat on your own, just by shopping at the grocery store (accessible by bus if you don’t have a car) and storing food in your room refrigerator. Their are kitchens available for cooking if you are really ambitious.</p>
<p>My daugher will have to have a meal plan, she can’t even make ramen noodles. I understand what you are saying about cost, but she won’t have a car and has no interest in cooking anything. That’s why I want her in one of the renovated dorms so she’s close to everything she needs. And her number is in the 400’s, so she might not get Gilchrist, but hopefully one of the other ones in that area. I think Wildwood was nice, but just not what she wants. It was kind of funny, on the tour, there were two bulletin boards devoted to STD’s and free condom giveaways right off the staircase. Some of the kids were giggling.</p>
<p>^ FYI, the bullet boards and posters are in every dorm and they usually change to a new theme every month or so. </p>
<p>Also, be sure to do the calculations for the actual meal plan. You end up “saving” very few dollars, and that’s if you eat all of your meals (which often won’t be possible). One of the plans last year had you pay about $10.10 for each meal.</p>
<p>I currently work as an RA in housing and would like to say I feel your daughter will have a good experience in either of the halls mentioned (In fact, every residence hall on campus has its own personal experience that makes it unique in its own way). </p>
<p>Something you might want to take into consideration: Does your daughter know what major she will be choosing? </p>
<p>I currently live/work extremely close to where I take all my classes and it makes a very big difference even though the majority of the campus is easily walkable. </p>
<p>Let me know what major she will be taking and I might be able to be of some more assistance. </p>
<p>Also another random question, is she into movies?</p>
<p>Elementary Ed is her future major. And as for movies----she goes to them with her friends but I wouldn’t say she’s really into them. One reason she wanted to live in Wildwood is that her friend who will be a sophmore next year is planning to live in Regans and its right next door. But she liked the central location of the renovated dorms better. She knows a lot of people who are current students and a few who will be freshman, but wants to take her chances with an unknown roomate. Two of her friends roomed together this year and it kind of put a damper on their friendship. She’s really friendly and outgoing, likes to go to parties and meet new people. And what about Cawthon Hall, I see its a renovated dorm, but we missed it somehow on the tour.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the replies! D loves movies and watches both mainstream and independent films. She is going to major in Retail Merchandising and Product Development and hoping to double major in psychology. She will not have a car and is planning to bike around campus.</p>
<p>A lot of you all aren’t even going to be taking major based classes in your first semester, so I’d be careful about choosing hall just based on location for your major. You could be a bio major which is on the west side, but have liberal arts classes (IE: ENC 110x) in Williams, which is on the far east side of campus. That said, you’re never going to be more than a 15 minute walk from your class, no matter which hall you’re in or which class you have, so no big deal.</p>
<p>But in any case, Psychology’s main buildings are located on the westside, very close to Salley, Kellum, and Smith.</p>
<p>Communication department is located in the University Center (brick building that surrounds Doak Campbell Stadium), closest to Wildwood Hall. I’m nearly sure that most of the early communications classes are located in DIF (far east side), but don’t quote me on that.</p>
<p>Retail Merchandise is going to be on the East Side of Campus (So I’d highly consider a hall on the east side, since most liberal studies classes are also on that side).</p>
<p>And sorry, not sure about food science.</p>
<p>Also, just FYI for those saying they like movies, Wildwood Hall is located right next to the Student Life Cinema, which shows movies for free. For more on the SLC, check out [Student</a> Life Cinema at Florida State University](<a href=“http://movies.fsu.edu/]Student”>http://movies.fsu.edu/)</p>
<p>I also, am starting my employment as a Resident Assistant this fall in Wildwood. If you have any questions feel free to let me know. There is great reasons for staying on both the West or the East side of campus.</p>
<p>Lot of Freshman classes are closer to the East side of campus, like freshman english. Wildwood is in a unique location is it is almost centralized (in relation to distance to Fresh foods and Suwanee room), and it is the closest dorm to the gym (literally a 3 minute walk). East side has a vast majority of freshman dorms, and is closer to night life (Potbelly’s, the Tennessee Strip). West side of a campus isn’t bad, however the not as pretty community dorms are there, very social community style of living.</p>