Welcome to University Housing. You either live in Buildings A or B, the Alumni Memorial Residences (AMRs), Wolman or McCoy. McCoy is generally an atypical housing assignment for freshmen -- typical freshman housing is most accurately portrayed by the AMRs. By now you know that each type of housing has its certain advantages and disadvantages.
You may have heard that the AMRs are the most social housing option on campus. This is basically true. Buildings A and B can be social depending on who resides in the building. One year, Building A residents were so close they all had "Building A" t-shirts printed. Usually, however, the most social award goes to the AMRs.
Those who do not live in the AMRs, including "Wolmanites," tend to poke fun at their quad-dwelling peers. Wolmanites live in a "luxurious" seven-floor building equipped with an elevator and a more prominent security system. They have lounges with cable TV.
Building A and B residents enjoy suite-style living similar to Wolman's, but they still lack carpeting and kitchenettes. Not only do the AMRs lack an elevator and suite-style living, they also require sharing a bathroom with an entire hall of people. The rooms are not air-conditioned and the heat source is derived from the amount of bodies co-existing in a small space.
Although the above statements are true, there is a simple explanation for why people in more comfortable housing prey on AMR residents: jealousy. Living in the AMRs is one of the fondest memories of Hopkins upperclassmen.
The close living space is a breeding ground, not only for rodents, but for the development of close relationships. Some meet their future boyfriends or husbands and others their roommates and suitemates for the next three years. Those in the AMRs become close very quickly. Many of the cliques of friends seen in later years developed because of a common hall or wing in the AMRs.
This type of closeness is not as frequently imitated in the other types of housing. Suite style can actually hinder new friendships because high privacy is emphasized. Living in Wolman or Buildings A and B can potentially add a challenge to your social life. You are often limited to the three other people you live with and those on your floor, and it is important to know that only half of your floor will actually be social.
In buildings besides the AMRs, it's also much harder to wander from floor to floor. You will find that doors are locked and shut in Wolman and Buildings A and B during certain time periods, but that exploring the AMRs is a possibility 24/7. It is common to stroll upstairs the first week and return having already made friends and acquired a new crush.
The AMRs provide your stereotypical freshman experience. This means guitar playing in the quad, people rollerblading through the halls, late night group showers, people shouting at all hours, the sounds of sex, the smell of Ramen noodles, roommate quarrels, and of course on the weekends, vomit.
You learn what it means to share a closet-sized space with a perfect stranger. You also learn to value the privacy you once had. Even though it's hard to have peace and quiet in the AMRs, they really are the most fun.
This picture of stereotypical college chaos may get you excited, but even though you may want to go crazy in the dorms, you will want to remember one important thing: your Resident Advisor (RA).
While many of the RAs were once in your position and try to be flexible, they really are limited in what they can allow you to do. It is important to respect your RA because he or she has his or her own rules and consequences to abide by, even if this means breaking up the fun. Many freshmen tend to assume their RA will be laid back and they can get away with doing virtually anything. Many times RAs are not that flexible.
Some take their job extremely seriously and will not let you get away with anything. Others follow a more "don't know, don't care" type of attitude. This means keep anything you shouldn't be doing out their sight at all costs. Anything will and can be confiscated.
There are plenty of places to drink and take part in general partying and there is no reason to limit it to your dorm. If caught drinking in the dorms, the consequences for students can be intense. You will learn about these from your RA.
Respect what ground rules your RA maintains. Most likely if you show respect for your RA, he or she will treat you well. If you decide to cop an attitude to your RA on the first day, you set the tone for a bad year, as well as guaranteed extra patrolling of your room. In an argument between you and your RA, your RA will win no matter what; humble yourself now.
All that said, freshman year is a blast. In all honesty, it doesn't matter where you live. You find that the only extended amount of time spent in your room is for sleeping. Most people use the library for quiet time, the dining halls for eating, and frat parties or off-campus apartments for drinking. You shouldn't worry and place too much emphasis on where you live. Again, welcome to University Housing.
