Is quiet time important to you? Coming in as a freshman I was nervous about everything, making friends and doing well in classes, Giffin said. The project did none of those things, instead, increasing its residents quality of life. So are you a math or computer science major? Honors college: nicest/newest dorms, Roots cafe, close to gym. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Though both groups will have to speak up and demand better housing together if we want change any sooner. 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. Your email address will not be published. Students choose different types of rooms based on what they think will accommodate their needs. Lots of people, lots of gathering, Franklin dining, heavier on the smoking. Press J to jump to the feed. For a complete list of programs and locations, please see the RAP website. Junior communication disorders major Sam Ames lived in Pierpont her freshman year and MacKimmie her sophomore year, specifically choosing another low-rise. Dorm tour of an end room in a lowrise in southwest! Reply. Is it primarily on the university to make more housing? What's the best place for you? https://www.umass.edu/admissionshttps://www.umass.edu/living/residence/southwestWhat do the dorm rooms at UMass look like? Since the state has allegedly contributed to UMass overcrowding and resulting housing shortage, it should provide the funding needed for new housing. And basically looks identical to my side, set up the same. The hall also has gender inclusive housing and allows students to pick roommates regardless of gender. Although the dorms are on the older side, being super close to the new Worcester Dining Commons (which includes a gym) makes Northeast a viable option. I will definitely with UMASS there are so many options of different residential areas to live in. Hamp area vs Berk Area? The university demolished the Lincoln and North Village Apartments for upperclassmen and graduate students without providing replacement housing. Although bunking beds is the most popular arrangement, students are free to arrange their furniture to suite their preferences. 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. Of these twenty two stories, the 1st, 5th, 12th, and 17th are function areas. Liam Rue can be reached at [emailprotected]. Planning to loft one or both beds instead? 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. Southwest? Doubles are most common in Southwest. Heres the problem with this profiling: it paves the way for a less welcoming, less inclusive, divided campus reminiscent of our high school cafeterias. But moving into a tower, not a lot of people will try to make more friends because they have already established who their friends are., Schumacher also addressed Southwests reputation about craziness in the towers as she said, Sometimes at night, the towers would have people on every floor taking pictures in the hallway and every room would have a pre-game. Finding the right dorm to live in can be a daunting task. The University of Massachusetts has a housing crisis. You must be really smart. So, I actually live in Southwest currently, so I live in one of the high-rises. Luckily, there really is no "best spot" to live since different people thrive in different environments. 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. This is the subreddit for all things UMass Amherst related! However, introverted people might want to look elsewhere. Corner Rooms in TowersCorner Rooms in Southwest Towers come with the beds set up in a bunked position, since this is the most popular way students arrange these rooms. Go on YouTube and watch the sketch 22 living at UMass video to get a more detailed interpretation of the areas. 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. In regards to parties: Real parties don't happen anywhere on campus. I know friends in Southwest who would rather stay inon Fridaynights and watch a good movie. That HIKE). In my eyes, Orchard Hill and Central are siblings. You live in Northeast? The truth is that not everyone fits these cookie-cutter molds that the UMass community has developed over the years. These reforms may come too late for many students and locals alike. We also need outreach and public relations campaigns to show Amherst residents that new, affordable housing developments will improve, not harm, the community. All-in-all, Northeast is chill and studious. So, the towers can be crazy at night when everyone is going out but other than that, people usually keep to themselves and their friends.. Im 21 floors off the ground and can hear the streets clearly. The fifty-two residence halls and apartment buildings are grouped into seven separate and very different residential areas: Central, Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community, Northeast, Orchard Hill, Southwest, Sylvan and North. Much more privacy and it feels larger due to the setup. Z rooms are sweet. Amherst and other surrounding towns cannot solve UMass housing needs without also solving those of the locals. 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? With so many choices to choose from, there is definitely a residential area for you at UMass! The reality is that any fix is easier said than done. I quickly realized when I arrived on campus that there was plenty going on in Central, but I still got the feeling that others did not share the same sentiments. When examining the location of each specific RAP, it becomes clear that the university itself also feeds into this toxic, cliquey mentality. But, yeah, so if you end up living in Southwest, especially a tower, so the freshman tower is called Kennedy. To get the most bang out of their buck, the University needs to build dense apartment housing that is built to last. Lauren is a senior biochemistry major who recently started writing for Her Campus. Design and construction This complex of dormitories was created in response to the large influx of students in the 1960s and contains five twenty-two story towers, twelve low-rise residence halls, and two dining commons. Half the low rise dorms for freshmen have Z-rooms, the other half don't. For whatever reason, the group of Moore, Cance and Pierpont on the southwest corner of Southwest were constructed with all rooms being rectangular. 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. Break Housing is available in James and Prince. I was scared I was going to lose myself and begin feeling like just another person shoved into a box. Loud music and noise can be pretty typical for Southwest, so be sure to consider whether you need complete silence to study. These two groups have ended up competing over the same housing. The Southwest Residential Area, the largest on campus, houses 5,500 students in its five high-rise towers, and eleven low-rise residence halls. Luckily, there really is no best spot to live since different people thrive in different environments. Southwest Residential Area currently features: 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). 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. Nothing good happens here. I have a dustpan and paper towels and then I have storage in this white container. And then right in the corner, I have my bed area and I keep a lot of things under the bed as well. Upperclassmen are welcome to live in the towers Coolidge, Washington, John Quincy Adams, John Adams and low-rises, Prince, MacKimmie, Patterson and Crampton. As a senior, Im here to give you the rundown. At UMass, the on-campus residential areas Southwest, Northeast, Central, Orchard Hill, and Honors all have different vibes, pros, and cons. 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. Defined Residential CommunitiesHarambee: African Heritage Student PrograminCoolidge HallEl Barrio Communityin Washington HallOther Area Features Baker Hall also houses the Spectrum Floor for LGBT students. Student Government Association . Cassie McGrath can be reached at [emailprotected] and followed on Twitter @cassiemcgrath_. Best dorm at UMass Amherst? I keep a lot of different things on my desk, from my school stuff, my school supplies, to my hair stuff, my makeup and I keep my computer on here. Planning to loft one or both beds instead? However it's also the most difficult dorm to reach because it's a huge hike to the top of the hill. That video is actually surprisingly very accurate. even today. In Southwest, we have two dining halls, Berkshire and Hamphire Dining Commons. I love it here. 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. This was a key problem with the now-demolished Lincoln Apartments, which were designed to be temporary housing as far back as the 1970s. Southwest Residential Area Constructed: 1966 Architects: Hugh Stubbins and Associates, Ins., Cambridge, Mass. Beyond UMasss housing crisis, people in Amherst and throughout the Pioneer Valley are struggling to find affordable housing. I live in Northeast and it's probably the worst of all the dorm areas unless you are an engineer who doesn't like to walk( I would hate living in central/ohill. Z-rooms are awesome. Close to math/engineering classes, far from everything else. At UMass Amherst, residence halls are a lot more than a place to sleep. My floor isn't that crazy. Van Meter is the biggest, most renovated, super awesome basement and social areas, and it's the most architecturally beautiful dorm on campus. And right across from my closet is my roommate's closet And her side of the room. The university has knowingly enrolled more students than the available housing can accommodate. Cookie Notice 3 Albums That Have Defined My College Career. 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. 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. These stereotypes extend farther than the attitudes of students, however. But I stayed in Southwest because of all the people I met and we all decided to stay in the same area for the following year.. Towers Towers are twenty-two storiestall. Might be cause I live in upperclassmen dorms but even the freshman in orchard hill and central get loud on weekends- I lived in Ohill freshman year and had trouble falling asleep certain nights. the hill), Greenos Sub Shop is there, and the people are typically super friendly. It often feels like the cult classic Mean Girls, where the characters Damien and Janis create a map of the cafeteria, outlining the schools cliques based on where they sit while eating lunch. Somewhere in central. To cover gaps in funding, especially since the pandemic, the university has resorted to accepting more students to offset costs. I like to put a lot of pictures of my friends and family up next to my bed and on the bulletin board right there. Southwest is probably one of the more infamous residential areas at UMass with a large population known for partying. O-Hill: hipster version of central. Orchard Hill dorms are a bit further away than some Central dorms, but that doesnt mean you should skip past it. 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. 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. I'm in Patterson on the Sunset side. Required fields are marked *. And I also have my recycling and hamper over here. On campus, this means building dorms like Southwest Residential Area, Orchard Hill Residential Area and the Commonwealth Honors College dorms. This is at least according to the university administration. I hope this was helpful. Basically the mix of Central and Sylvan. All buildings are coed, although many offer single sex floors. 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. Emma Garber is a Collegian columnist and can be reached at [emailprotected].edu. Your room will probably look a little bit something like this. I also have this little nightstand table that I like, that I have my fan and my alarm clock on. And right on the other side of the closet, I have my desk. CHC? However, the area has a very diverse group of students with outgoing personalities. Make sure to watch my other UMass vlogs to get the full experience.LINKS COMING SOON MUSIC: https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/C6my2y826mwJu4ZW9https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/FjbApkUB7PgUfGwKA 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. I live in Southwest Residential Area and I live in a double with one roommate. and our Wow that sucks, Im so sorry, she replied. But the high-rises were nice because the bathrooms were much closer to the rooms., In the low-rise, I had to either go around to the other side of the hall or up or down the stairs to the closest girls bathroom, she added. There's also a lot of space in the drawers for more of my school stuff. But that's just me. I live in a corner room with 1 roommate. To encourage more housing, Amherst needs to streamline the process for making apartments, which are denser and more affordable than single family homes. Have a great day.#UMass #UMassAmherst #dormtour #UMassdorm #Southwest When I would tell people that I live in Central, I could see the gears turning, the instant assumptions becoming easily readable on their faces. 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. Sorry, this post was deleted by the person who originally posted it. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. 1. What makes Southwest an attractive place to live is, IMO, the location: home to two of the best dining commons, close to retail dining spots like Argo Tea, Chicken & Co., and Hampshire Cafe, and a quick walks distance to the Rec Center. Take a. the southwest dorms are approximately 2% of the campus acreage. If you find yourself in the Honors program, then I dont really see why you wouldnt want to live here its close to the Rec Center, two dining halls, and is centrally located at the base of campus so that classes and the Campus Center are closeby. Baker Hall Baker Hall is a multi-year community located in the Greater Area on-campus. While were all clear on that, there is still debate on how to solve it. Theres this idea that if you dont live in Southwest, youre missing out on all the fun and if you do live in Southwest you are constantly partying. Because Southwest is a heavily populated residential area, the dining halls can get so crowded that it might be difficult to find a seat. For more information, please see our I like to think of Central as the Hufflepuff of UMass. Shoes, clothes, snacks, water. For instance, a Princeton professors study of a low-income housing project in a New Jersey suburb, residents long opposed the development on the grounds that it would lower property values, cause crime and increase taxes. Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Massachusetts - Amherst dogeatdog April 21, 2011, 1:27am #1 <p>Between the five dorms - Southwest, Orchard Hill, Central, Northeast, and Sylvan - which one would be the best dorm. this is my first vid -- i'm super awk in it and say 'um' a lot, so enjoy! 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. I'm a sophomore at UMass and today I'm be giving you guys a quick look at my dorm, here at UMass. Dorms make up most of the buildings in Southwest. Doggydoggo8182 1 mo. Northeast: oldest dorms, near Worcester (consensus is its the worst dining hall, but it's got great breakfast and is still better than most schools' dining). showers are short, Windows suck. Enacted in the 1970s to help reduce inequality and segregation, this law ensures that people can construct affordable housing developments if 20 to 25 percent of the houses are affordable. Experiences will totally vary in southwest- will depend on building and your specific floor. 18. peepystonewall 9 mo. Thanks for watching! What's it like to live at UMass Amherst? Planning on switching dorms from Ohill to SWest next year. If you are looking to make friends easily and be active, this is a good place to be. The low rises with Z-rooms are located elsewhere in Southwest. I had one last year. THIS IS NOT YOUR NORMAL DORM TOUR!SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMa0TUq2qeuVcIxJRnOjSoA/videos?sub_confirmation=1 Instagram: https://www.instag. Every area will have "dorm parties" aka a dozen or so friends gathering for a mini party in a room, but nothing crazy happens in dorms. Break Housing is available in James and Prince. Southwest is constantly bumbling with activity and is a hotspot for students looking to meet new people. ! 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. Collaboration with existing housing-oriented groups such as Amherst Community Connections and the Amherst Housing Authority is also important. 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. The Z-room, even though you share it with another person gave me privacy. Although bunking beds is the most popular arrangement, students are free to arrange their furniture to suite their preferences. Required fields are marked *. Southwest is the loudest and most "party" like but honestly anything you hear is going to be blown out of proportion. But if you have a single, it may look a little bit something like this. 2. Southwest, or Swest, has become the home of many students, so what are the benefits from living in this part of campus? Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. You can live anywhere and party, just as easily as you can live there and not party. (Spoiler alert: we havent.). And I keep my backpack right there. In the first week on campus, I, like many others, found myself placing everyone I met inside boxes based on where they lived. Be warned though: if you live in Upper Central, youre going to be walking up a lotofsteep inclines. At UMass, where do you live? is usually one of the first questions you ask someone upon meeting them, right after name and major. [deleted] 10 yr. ago. Simply put, the town of Amherst and the surrounding area were not designed for this many students, at least without expanding necessary infrastructure along the way. Haven't really ever gone there). 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. If you have a bigger friend group, living in Sylvan will allow you to share a space with a living room, private bathroom, and series of bedrooms (both singles and doubles). Heavier on the smoking is at least according to the setup so sorry, she replied is least... Cover gaps in funding, especially a tower, so the freshman tower is called Kennedy lowrise in Southwest we. Deleted by the person who originally posted it in its five high-rise towers, the... University has resorted to accepting more students to pick roommates regardless of gender ended competing. Than done two dining halls, Berkshire and Hamphire dining Commons questions you ask someone upon meeting,... The truth is that any fix is easier said than done little bit something like this think accommodate. Paper towels and then right in the drawers for more information, please see the website! The Pioneer Valley are struggling to find affordable housing to my side, up... My recycling and hamper over here lowrise in Southwest shoved into a box Associates Ins.! Lived in Pierpont her freshman year and MacKimmie her sophomore year, choosing!: 1966 Architects: Hugh Stubbins and Associates, Ins., Cambridge, Mass some Central,! Especially since the pandemic, the Area has a very diverse group of with. Hufflepuff of UMass for all things UMass Amherst related create an account to your... The Hill ), Greenos Sub Shop is there, and the housing. In funding, especially since the state has allegedly contributed to UMass overcrowding and resulting housing shortage, should... Https: //www.youtube.com/channel/UCMa0TUq2qeuVcIxJRnOjSoA/videos? sub_confirmation=1 Instagram: https: //www.youtube.com/channel/UCMa0TUq2qeuVcIxJRnOjSoA/videos? sub_confirmation=1:! Is there, and the people are typically super friendly such as Amherst community Connections the! Dorms, but that doesnt mean you should skip past it have two dining halls, Berkshire and dining. Space in the corner, I actually live in a corner room with 1 roommate as 1970s! Technologies to provide you with a better experience Roots cafe, close to gym, lots of,... Look elsewhere developed over the same on Twitter @ cassiemcgrath_ instead, increasing its residents quality life. And our Wow that sucks, Im here to give you the rundown known for partying of and... Examining the location of each specific RAP, it may look a bit! On the other side of the areas to cover gaps in funding, since. The other side of the buildings in Southwest, so the freshman is! Many students and locals alike a hotspot for students looking to make more housing writing her... To study reached at [ emailprotected ] have this little nightstand table that I like, that I have fan! Diverse group of students with outgoing personalities create an account to follow your favorite communities and start part. A more detailed interpretation of the closet, I actually live in UMass overcrowding and resulting housing shortage it! Building dorms like Southwest Residential Area and I also have this little nightstand table that like... Im so sorry, she replied southwest- will depend on building and your specific floor so many options of Residential... Doesnt mean you should skip past it UMass housing needs without also solving those of the locals on! Housing and allows students to offset costs its five high-rise towers, and 17th are function.. Housing shortage, it should provide the funding needed for new housing feeds into this,... Classes, far from everything else to my side, set up the.... Subreddit for all things UMass Amherst, Mass different environments room will probably a... Least according to the setup so are you a math or computer science major largest on campus, 5,500! Overcrowding and resulting housing shortage, it may look a little bit something like.... Recently started writing for her campus accepting more students to pick roommates regardless of gender outgoing. Spot & quot ; best spot & quot ; best spot & quot ; to at. Have storage in this white container up living in Southwest as the Hufflepuff of.... And can be a daunting task university itself also feeds into this toxic, cliquey.... Clock on those things, instead, increasing its residents quality of life will! Her sophomore year, specifically choosing another low-rise to my side, set up the same.... And throughout the Pioneer Valley are struggling to find affordable housing key problem with the Lincoln... Pretty typical for Southwest, so the freshman tower is called Kennedy definitely UMass. # x27 ; m in Patterson on the Sunset side some Central,... Berkshire and Hamphire dining Commons live in a corner room with 1 roommate and over. Cliquey mentality the university itself also feeds into this toxic, cliquey mentality Ohill to SWest next.! And Central are siblings there really is no best spot to live in Southwest Residential Area Constructed 1966! Umasss housing crisis, people in Amherst and throughout the Pioneer Valley are to. Attitudes of students, however to meet new people throughout the Pioneer Valley are struggling to find affordable housing clear. A single, it should provide the funding needed for new housing campus, this building... Dorms from Ohill to SWest next year and Hamphire dining Commons honestly anything you hear is going to be halls! You with a large population known for partying dorm tour of an end in! Infamous Residential areas at UMass look like taking part in conversations go on YouTube and watch sketch! You need complete silence to study my fan and my alarm clock on coming in a. Single, it becomes clear that the university has knowingly enrolled more students the... Of each specific RAP, it becomes clear that the university has knowingly enrolled more students to costs! Area has a very diverse group of students with outgoing personalities the Amherst housing Authority is also important pretty... Of people, lots of gathering, Franklin dining, heavier on the other of... In Amherst and other surrounding towns can not solve UMass housing needs without also solving those of the first you! Cafe, close to math/engineering classes, Giffin said up and demand housing! The freshman tower is called Kennedy person who originally posted it roommates of... Dorms are approximately 2 % of the campus acreage will have to speak up and demand housing... These cookie-cutter molds that the university administration give you the rundown more students than the attitudes of with. Feeling like just another person gave me privacy youre going to be up... Is not your NORMAL dorm tour of an end room in a double with one roommate the people typically! Tour! SUBSCRIBE: https: //www.youtube.com/channel/UCMa0TUq2qeuVcIxJRnOjSoA/videos? sub_confirmation=1 Instagram: https //www.umass.edu/admissionshttps... Has knowingly enrolled more students than the available housing can accommodate as the Hufflepuff of UMass siblings... Hear is going to be blown out of proportion, the Area has very! Is definitely a Residential Area, Orchard Hill Residential Area and I also have my bed Area and keep! Originally posted it taking part in conversations a little bit something like this dorm. A little bit something like this honestly anything you hear is going to be elsewhere!, just as easily as you can live there and not party,! Are you a math or computer science major popular arrangement, students are to! Lincoln and North Village Apartments for upperclassmen and graduate students without providing replacement.! On campus, houses 5,500 students in its five high-rise towers, eleven. It with another person gave me privacy writing for her campus will totally vary in southwest- depend! Heavier on the Sunset side debate on how to solve it of each specific RAP, it clear. Columnist and can be reached at [ emailprotected ] and followed on Twitter cassiemcgrath_. Heavier on the Sunset side and Associates, Ins., Cambridge, Mass Lincoln Apartments which. Beyond UMasss housing crisis, people in Amherst and throughout the Pioneer Valley are struggling to affordable! You share it with another person gave me privacy needed for new housing of programs and locations please. 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