Dorm Life – Johnalie

03/09/2020 1:07 AM

Happy New Year, Braves-to-Be! Hope everyone enjoyed the well-deserved winter break 🙂

Here’s another blog post from yours truly. Today I’m gonna talk about housing! A common question I get asked on tours is if upperclassmen can live on campus. The answer is yes! I lived in the dorms through my junior year at Bradley. I spent my freshman year in Harper Hall and moved over to Williams Hall for my sophomore and junior years. I ended up leasing an off-campus apartment for my senior year and have been living there since August, but as much as I enjoy having an apartment, I sometimes miss the perks of living in the dorms.

Here’s a short list of a few things I miss!

Shorter walks to class
My apartment is barely off-campus, so walking to class takes about ten minutes. From any of the dorms, this commute is easily cut in half. It may not seem like much, but five minutes could be a godsend if you overslept for a 9 AM!

Laundry
I’m fortunate enough to live on the first floor of my apartment and that the laundry room is just a short flight of stairs to the basement, but I’ve always hated doing laundry. Having the convenience of a laundry room on my floor when I lived in Williams made it seem like less of a chore. (Though I promise you I always waited until it was Sunday night and I had no socks to wear the next day. I still do.)

Secure Mailroom
As an ever-faithful Amazon Prime subscriber, I have ordered everything from books and school supplies to Secret Santa gifts. There was always a different sense of excitement whenever I’d receive a package notification from housing, and while it sometimes took me days to remember to drop by the office during office hours I had peace of mind that my packages were secure.

Communal Living Spaces
I loved living in the dorms because it made it easy to make friends and get to know other students outside of class. I spent a lot of time hanging out in lobbies and lounge areas because they were high-traffic spaces where I knew I would run into familiar faces. Apart from that, residential advisors (RAs) and hall council are always planning programs for residents to relax and enjoy each other’s company.

Having a meal plan
I can’t stress this one enough, especially as someone who can barely cook for herself. Nothing beats the convenience of having a meal plan. It was so nice being able to walk into the dining halls or make a run to the Student Center for a quick bite between classes or during a study break. I never had to worry about finding time to cook or wash dishes when I was short on time!

Don’t get me wrong, I love my apartment dearly. It’s nice having my own room separate from my roommates and a full kitchen to cook in, but as a senior looking back at my college experience I am super grateful for the three years I spent living in the dorms. I’m not sure my “university experience” would have been quite the same otherwise.

What do you guys look forward to about living in the dorms? What are some things you’re worried about? Do you have any specific questions about housing?

Let me know in the comments, I’d be more than happy to answer 🙂