Dorm rooms decoded: part two
February 19Continued from yesterday, campus housing options are explored in anticipation of the housing lottery. Hodgdon Hall Hodgdon residents have the advantage of being able to get food without leaving their dorm, as Hodgdon Take_It_Away is located on the first floor of the building. Hodgdon is downhill, close to Dewick-MacPhie Dining Hall, the Campus Center, Aidekman Arts Center, and Davis Square. It is farther, though, from uphill classes. Hodgdon's rooms are large and square-shaped. There are 55 doubles of an average size of 14' x 14.5' and 40 singles. It also has one two-person apartment. For socializing, Hodgdon has a main lounge on the first floor. A separate study room is located off the lounge. Lewis Hall Lewis Hall is downhill next to Hodgdon and Tilton and therefore close to Dewick-MacPhie Dining Hall, the Campus Center, Aidekman Arts Center, and Davis Square. Lewis is one of the largest dorms and has rectangular rooms. Lewis has 57 doubles, 74 singles, and three triples. It also has one four-person apartment and two two-person apartments. The third and fourth floors of Lewis are non-smoking. Haskell Hall Haskell is located downhill, across from Bush and next to Tilton. Non-Haskell residents my find it easy to get lost: the dorm is organized by suites, and there are separate stair cases leading to different suites on the same floor. Suites consist of four doubles, two singles, a common room, and a bathroom. Because the suites are so small, suitemates often become close, but socializing with residents outside of one's suite is less common. A good experience in Haskell is entirely dependent upon how many people you can round up to live in the same suite. People who have moved in with a group of friends say that Haskell can be a great place to live. The common room and "semi-private" bathroom are definite benefits of this well-located dorm. South Hall South is Tufts' newest and largest dorm, having been completed in 1991. Perhaps because it was built so recently, it differs from the other dorms with its brightly colored thick walls. South is located downhill, further from the other downhill dorms and from Dewick-MacPhie Dining Hall, but closer to the Aidekman Arts Center and the Campus Center. Like Bush, South has single bathrooms. Each bathroom has a shower, separate toilet stall, sink and mirror. South has 22 small common lounges dispersed throughout the hall and a main lounge on the ground floor. In the basement, there is another common room with some fitness equipment, ping pong tables, and tables and chairs. Rooms in South tend to be small and rectangular shaped. It has 158 doubles of an average size of 9.3' x 16.4' and 51 singles of an average size of 9.3' x 8.2'. Richardson House Richardson House is the University's only all-female dorm. Richardson lacks traditional straight hallways, and its hardwood floors give it a cozy feel. Each floor has a full bathroom. It is a small residence, with only fourteen doubles, nine singles, and two triples. Richardson House is centrally located on Professors Row, so it is relatively close to buildings both up and downhill. It is also next to the Campus Center. During winter break, Richardson House is used to house students staying on campus, so its residents must move their belongings. Stratton Hall Stratton Hall is located downhill, next to the Campus Center and across from the Aidekman Arts Center. It was once a women's hall, but now houses both men and women. Rooms are fairly small. Straton has 22 doubles of average size 10 X 12' and several more with an average size of 8' X 10'. Hardwood floors give the rooms a cozy feeling. A main lounge is located on the first floor, adjacent to a pool room with a pool table. Like Richardson, Stratton is also used to house students staying on campus during winter break, so residents must move their belongings. Bush Hall Bush Hall is located downhill and is attached to Dewick_MacPhie. Because there is no accessible passageway to connect the two parts of the building, residents must go outside to enter the dining hall. Nevertheless, Bush residents are closer to Dewick than residents of any other downhill dorms. They can also find food at either Hodgdon or the Campus Center, which are nearby. Bush is a long walk from classes in buildings in the academic quad. It is only a short distance, however, from the Aidekman Arts Center, Pearson, and the Jackson Gym. One of Bush's best features is its single bathrooms. Every hall has eight individual bathrooms, each with a shower, separate toilet stall, sink, and mirror. Rooms are fairly large and square-shaped; there are 51 doubles and three singles. "Because Bush is so small, it becomes very intimate," freshman Bush resident Amber Woods said. One common room in the middle of each hall gives Bush residents a place to socialize. Metcalf Hall Metcalf is one of the most centrally located dorms on campus. Situated on Professors Row next to the Campus Center and just a short walk away from Dewick and the Tisch Library, Metcalf is certainly at the heart of campus activity. An interesting part of living in Metcalf is its Bridge Program. Bridge is a learning and living program that encourages students to pursue their educations outside of the classroom. Metcalf contains a wide variety of living situations, from spacious rooms on the East Side of the building that overlook Latin Way to smaller singles and doubles on the West side that overlook Professor's Row. Be sure you know what room you are signing up for when considering living in Metcalf! Also note that while the building is coed, sexes are segregated by wing, and the entire ground floor is female only.
