Elizabethtown College has several different housing options available for students who choose to live on campus. The College has six traditional residence halls, as well as apartments and townhouses (“the Quads”). Each on-campus residence adds its own unique charm to the Etown community.
Students from each on-campus residence were interviewed regarding their housing experiences thus far in their time at the College. These students were asked to share their feelings about the residence hall in which they live and how they felt about all the on-campus housing options available to them.
Every student who was asked about living in the apartments generally had very positive things to say about them. Most students enjoyed the fact that the apartments had private bathrooms and an easily accessible kitchen. They also liked the fact that the laundry facilities and the printer are located within the same building. Senior Megan DeMichele commented about how she especially likes the apartments’ proximity to the turf field, as it makes her walk to practice each day much easier.
What draws people to Brinser is its prime location on campus. “It is close to everything and everyone,” junior Rachel Reed said.
The students who live in Founders had more varied reasons as to why they like living there. First-year Emily Fishkind likes how the bathroom-to-student ratio is small and that, in addition to the main lounge in Towers B and C, each floor has two lounges.
First-year Ash Burdyn said that their favorite aspect of living in Founders is the Gender Inclusive Floor because it creates a space where those who do not identify with a gender can feel free to express themselves.
Residents of Myer felt that some of the best things about living in Myer were the spacious closets and drawers and the close-knit community of people.
One student even said that she loves her dorm room in Myer because of the beautiful view that she has of the Dell, since her room is directly facing the Dell and the foot path from Myer to Schlosser.
One improvement for the residence hall that was unanimously agreed upon by all interviewees was the need for more updated bathrooms.
All students interviewed who reside in Ober agree that the dorm’s location on campus is what makes it so desirable to so many students. Senior Allie McLamb and junior Katie Thompson added that the building also has great all-around appeal, such as a nice lobby, clean bathrooms and a lot of kind people. One common complaint about Ober was the distance to and from the laundry room and the kitchen.
The students living in Royer especially like that the rooms are big in comparison to other dorms. “It is right by the Dell, and when it is nice out, it is nice to do homework out there or play Frisbee,” first-year Sarah Helt said.
Many people living in Royer also agreed that Royer has a nice sense of community, since it is the smallest residence hall. When asked what could be improved in Royer, a majority of students felt that the bathrooms needed some updates.
The students who live in Schlosser like that it is very updated and is a close walk to the academic buildings.
“The Honors LLC has allowed me to become close friends with other honors students that are very like me in terms of goals and personality,” first-year Dylan Warner said.
First-year Lianne Uroda focused on how spacious the rooms are, as well as the convenience of being able to adjust the heating and air conditioning in each room.
Students who live in the Quads feel that the Quads are a great option for those who want more space than a regular residence hall. Many like the fact that the Quads have a kitchen and have an upstairs and a downstairs.
“Having a kitchen makes preparing healthier meals a lot easier,” senior Mattie Joyner said. One disadvantage to living in the Quads is the far walk to academic buildings.
Overall, it was very difficult to come to a consensus as to which residence hall or on-campus housing unit was most preferred. When asked, most people seemed to prefer their residence hall/on-campus housing situation.
“The housing options have a good amount of diversity,” first-year Rebecca Brady said. “The Quads and the apartments seem like a great option for those seeking a little more independence.”
