She enjoys spending her free time decorating cakes, hanging with animals, and binge-watching series from her never-ending list of shows she NEEDS to watch. So I hope what we're doing tours like this is very helpful and hopefully any other interns who live in different areas will be able to also do this as well. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The bottom line is that we need more housing. The absolute worst part of both is the walk. And I also have this calendar that I update every month, which I think is really helpful keeping up to date with due dates and events and things like that. However it's also the most difficult dorm to reach because it's a huge hike to the top of the hill. Due to pandemic-related supply chain woes, building new housing is not affordable. Havent Watched Abbott Elementary? You Need To. According to a 2021 report by UMasss own Donahue Institute, Hampshire County which includes Amherst, Northampton and other neighboring towns needs more than 2,100 housing units to keep up with demand (and a projected 3,500 by 2025.) Your email address will not be published. That HIKE). Southwest Residential Area currently features: First-Year Halls: located inMelville, Thoreau, Pierpont , Moore,James, Emerson, Kennedy, and Cance HallsResidential Academic Programs (RAPs) are affiliated with some first-year learning communities. To encourage more housing, Amherst needs to streamline the process for making apartments, which are denser and more affordable than single family homes. Is quiet time important to you? I know friends in Southwest who would rather stay inon Fridaynights and watch a good movie. A primary reason for UMass continued over-enrollment is insufficient funding from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. On campus, this means building dorms like Southwest Residential Area, Orchard Hill Residential Area and the Commonwealth Honors College dorms. Shoes, clothes, snacks, water. THIS IS NOT YOUR NORMAL DORM TOUR!SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMa0TUq2qeuVcIxJRnOjSoA/videos?sub_confirmation=1 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachcostaa/ I am a sophomore living at UMass Amherst living a Southwest Residential Area Tower. THIS IS NOT YOUR NORMAL DORM TOUR!SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMa0TUq2qeuVcIxJRnOjSoA/videos?sub_confirmation=1 Instagram: https://www.instag. There are two types of dorms: towers and low rises. Van Meter is the biggest, most renovated, super awesome basement and social areas, and it's the most architecturally beautiful dorm on campus. I had to get used to the fact that I really only could use the elevator in the towers since I was on the 13th floor. I had my own space and could retreat to it when I was stressed.. Your email address will not be published. Or should the town of Amherst and other neighboring towns contribute more? Because Southwest is a heavily populated residential area, the dining halls can get so crowded that it might be difficult to find a seat. https://www.umass.edu/admissionshttps://www.umass.edu/living/residence/southwestWhat do the dorm rooms at UMass look like? showers are short, Windows suck. It can happen anywhere. Southwest Dorm Tour -- Living at UMass Amherst 36,456 views Dec 23, 2019 194 Dislike Share Save UMass Amherst Admissions 1.18K subscribers What's it like to live at UMass Amherst? My floor isn't that crazy. Dorm Tour at UMass Amherst -- Tour a Single in Southwest Towers 17,370 views Dec 23, 2019 125 Dislike Share Save UMass Amherst Admissions 1.23K subscribers. Central: basically a much more mellowed out southwest. As a result, those of us who live in the other parts of campus feel like outsiders, and those who live in Southwest but are not always on the move feel like they are not living up to the reputation. The truth is that not everyone fits these cookie-cutter molds that the UMass community has developed over the years. Southwest is known as being the loudest, but IMO, the towers are the best because once you're roughly 5 floors or so off the ground, you can have windows open and not hear the street noises, so you can be close to the food without being affected by the traditional "swest" atmosphere. Basically the mix of Central and Sylvan. When examining the location of each specific RAP, it becomes clear that the university itself also feeds into this toxic, cliquey mentality. Advice for if you plan to live here though (and possibly the other low rises, I don't know for sure) some closets are better than others. If youre wondering which is your best fit, then Im glad you made it here! Southwest is probably one of the more infamous residential areas at UMass with a large population known for partying. Although bunking beds is the most popular arrangement, students are free to arrange their furniture to suite their preferences. But enough talking, I will show you my room. Junior communication disorders major Sam Ames lived in Pierpont her freshman year and MacKimmie her sophomore year, specifically choosing another low-rise. 2. Make sure to grab the window side (usually bigger, and more privacy). Your email address will not be published. Giffin contrasted the experience with her sophomore year, when she lived in a corner room. I love it here. Why as a community are we all so quick to judge each other based on what dorm we live in? These two groups have ended up competing over the same housing. No trouble falling asleep on any given night- even if I have to go to sleep early due to exams. [The corner room] isnt even big enough to have all of the furniture on the ground. Victoria Giffin, a senior biology major, said she preferred living in a z-room rather than a traditional dorm room. One of the biggest stereotypes among students is that Southwest is the only part of campus that has fun. Planning on switching dorms from Ohill to SWest next year. Much more privacy and it feels larger due to the setup. Northampton, meanwhile, has sworn in a mayor, who has made affordable housing one of her administrations top priorities. And it can be very confusing especially as a freshman or transfer student to kind of think about where you want to live. And how will we overcome inevitable concerns from locals who have their own housing needs and dont want new housing to hurt their quality of life? Finding the right dorm to live in can be a daunting task. Reply. Off campus, more apartment housing will naturally be harder to get, though it can be done through an important provision of Massachusetts law known as Chapter 40B. The Southwest Residential Area, the largest on campus, houses 5,500 students in its five high-rise towers, and eleven low-rise residence halls. Since the state has allegedly contributed to UMass overcrowding and resulting housing shortage, it should provide the funding needed for new housing. While were all clear on that, there is still debate on how to solve it. Also what would you recommend to someone who wants a social area but not fond of parties? Low rise vs high rise? 15K views, 263 likes, 41 loves, 95 comments, 52 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from UMass Amherst: Southwest houses approximately 50% of the students living on campus in its high-rises and low-rises,. Students choose different types of rooms based on what they think will accommodate their needs. One of my favorite things about living in a dorm is being able to design it how you want and put pictures of your friends and family up to make it really feel like home. Also Frank has really downgraded with their food so being close to Hamp and Berk is nice. So Southwest is kinda composed of high-rises and low-rises as we call them, so a high-rise is our towers, kinda think of like a skyscraper. A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890, By Emma Garber, Collegian ColumnistOctober 1, 2018. There's a lot of storage under there. Required fields are marked *. Z rooms are sweet. 3 Albums That Have Defined My College Career. Cassie McGrath can be reached at [emailprotected] and followed on Twitter @cassiemcgrath_. Definitely do not want it to be dead quiet like Ohill, just wondering if there is halls that may be harder to sleep in due to factors like noise, the sun rising, garbage trucks,etc. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. And I keep my backpack right there. However, introverted people might want to look elsewhere. All buildings are coed, although many offer single sex floors. Luckily, there really is no best spot to live since different people thrive in different environments. Southwest, or "Swest," has become the home of many students, so what are the benefits from living in this part of campus? In the center of Orchard Hill is the bowl, a green grassy little dip in the quad that students love to play frisbee and other games in. and our But if you have a single, it may look a little bit something like this. So I would definitely say that Southwest is probably one of the most desirable areas to live in, especially for freshmen, so there's a lot of eagerness for people to see what these rooms look like. Switching from a low rise to a tower was a little bit of an adjustment, Schumacher said. If the university does its part to ensure more housing for its student population, then it will be easier for locals to solve their own housing shortages. Granted, no one can make housing out of thin air, so any replacement housing will take several years to complete. Theres the cool Asians, sexually active band geeks, the greatest people you will ever meet and the worst. Each residential area might as well be a cliques lunch table in a part of the giant cafeteria we call our campus. the southwest dorms are approximately 2% of the campus acreage. There's also a lot of space in the drawers for more of my school stuff. When you first walk into the room, you have your closet on the left, and this is where I keep all of my clothes. There are people in Central who love watching football and the Kardashians, far from the crunchy-granola image of the hill. Enacted in the 1970's to help reduce . Liam Rue can be reached at [emailprotected]. And I also have my recycling and hamper over here. While students may have individual preferences for rooms, all students proved that there is no single Southwest experience to be had. This year, the Isenberg Fellows RAPresides in Southwest, constituting the idea that this area is full of the business students who, according to stereotype, are cooler, brasher and tend to be more reckless. Southwest is home to 16 residence halls, five towers and 11 low-rise halls. Also, the elevators would be packed with people because everyone is trying to go out and party. Student Government Association . You won't be disappointed. Required fields are marked *. The university has knowingly enrolled more students than the available housing can accommodate. Southwest is the loudest and most "party" like but honestly anything you hear is going to be blown out of proportion. With so many choices to choose from, there is definitely a residential area for you at UMass! On campus, this means building dorms like Southwest Residential Area, Orchard Hill Residential Area and the Commonwealth Honors College dorms. So, I actually live in Southwest currently, so I live in one of the high-rises. If you and your roommate are on good terms try and arrange it so you get the back side for one half of the year and then switch for the second half. (Spoiler alert: we havent.). Where will the money and space come from? The Southwest Residential Area is currently the largest on the campus of the University of Massachusetts, known for its five tall towers and Patriots Super Bowl celebrations and delicious dining halls. Somewhere in central. This isnt Hogwarts; we cant categorically group people inside their houses. That video is actually surprisingly very accurate. even today. Both are pretty laid back but apparently everyone is still very social (so I've heard. Though both groups will have to speak up and demand better housing together if we want change any sooner. Sylvan/North: basically far, far away from Shrek. However, the area has a very diverse group of students with outgoing personalities. I'm in Patterson on the Sunset side. And then right in the corner, I have my bed area and I keep a lot of things under the bed as well. So are you a math or computer science major? Southwest is known as being the loudest, but IMO, the towers are the best because once you're roughly 5 floors or so off the ground, you can have windows open and not hear the street noises, so you can be close to the food without being affected by the traditional "swest" atmosphere. I hope this was helpful. If you are looking to make friends easily and be active, this is a good place to be. Ive met extroverts in Orchard Hill who are always going out, dance majors in Northeast who hate math, and even people who chose to live in Sylvan instead of getting stuck there and love it. Take a look inside a double room in the Southwest towers in UMass.https://www.umass.edu/admissionshttps://www.umass.edu/livingVIDEO TRANSCRIPTHi guys, I'm Maddy. Hamp area vs Berk Area? It's pretty quiet because it's the very corner of southwest, and most people who are on Sunset don't come this far down. Honors offers singles, doubles, suites, and even apartments! UMass is not truly to blame for this, though. Baker Hall Baker Hall is a multi-year community located in the Greater Area on-campus. And so the room is set up the same way, but I would say it's more of an L shape, now that I-- in a single orientation. Gorman is known even by those in Southwest to be a very social and "popping" building. High and Low is still high quality on its 60th anniversary, Sam Breen earns second consecutive Atlantic 10 player of the year award, Black Student Union hosts annual Black History Month Showcase, UMass lecturer Myles Sanders educates campus community on Deaf culture, Crossing Bridges: African American culture and modern music, Lois Griffin is one of the greatest written characters on television, Your email address will not be published. Sorry, this post was deleted by the person who originally posted it. I live in southwest and have never had trouble falling asleep (though have been woken up at 3pm due to loud music but thats kind of my fault for trying to sleep all day). Best dorm at UMass Amherst? ago. See the, Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community, Harambee: African Heritage Student Program. Even if you end up living in your last choice area, theres still nothing stopping you from making it a good time. Press J to jump to the feed. Amherst is poised to enact a variety of the suggested reforms, such as removing bureaucratic red tape and allowing more efficient, denser housing. What's the best place for you? I also have this little nightstand table that I like, that I have my fan and my alarm clock on. The university has created tension with the local community as its students have outspent locals for housing. Doubles are most common in Southwest. If so, then consider Northeast. This is the subreddit for all things UMass Amherst related! Right next to that, I have a Game of Thrones poster, one of my favorite TV shows, and then I have my fridge and my microwave and my trash, right next to it. And party choosing another low-rise Sunset side for partying but enough talking, I have to go and. I also have my fan and my alarm clock on the only part of that. Known even by those in Southwest currently, so any replacement housing will take several years to complete science. 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And party any sooner, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our.! Contribute more of things under the bed as well so being close to Hamp Berk! Last choice Area, theres still nothing stopping you from making it a good movie students is that is! To make friends easily and be active, this means building dorms like Residential! The proper functionality of our platform our campus giffin, a senior biology,. Should the town of Amherst and other neighboring towns contribute more groups have ended up competing over years. Followed on Twitter @ cassiemcgrath_, though the worst is known even by those in Southwest who would rather inon. Who love watching football and the Commonwealth Honors College dorms any given night- even if I have my fan my... [ the corner, I will show you my room the Sunset side, meanwhile has...