Before picking my dorm, I wish I’d known…

…about Alumni kitchens

“By ‘kitchens,’ they mean a crusty old stove and counter space the size of a laptop.”

—Yas Akdag, Music Editor, lived in Alumni Hall 2021-22

…about Carlyle open rooms

“Living in the open room — the room where the bedroom is open to the kitchen and common area — in a four-person suite utterly decimated my sleep schedule and mental health. Seriously, do not live in this kind of room if you are a light sleeper at all or if you’re sensitive to smells or noises.”

—Caitlin Hsu, UTA Publishing Editor, lived in Carlyle Court 2019-20

…about temperature regulation in University Hall

“I wish I knew the temperature in UHall dorms fluctuates a lot. Even though there’s a thermostat, and I have the temperature set pretty high, it tends to spike and drop throughout the day, leaving me cold at some points and sweaty at others.” 

—Sunny Sequeira, UTA Staff Editor, lived in University Hall 2021-22

…that Seventh Street doesn’t have air conditioning

“The temperature situation can be brutal. We have no air conditioning, and we rely on old radiators for heat, which aren’t the most reliable, so it’s boiling hot during early September and May, and it can get really cold in the winter.”

—Luc Giner, CAS junior, lived in Seventh Street 2021-22

…about noise in Lafayette

“Sound insulation is awful, but your radiators are even louder than your next-door neighbor. The ventilation gap on the ceiling doesn’t help either.”

—Shing-Chen Tu, Photo Editor, lived in Lafayette Hall 2021-22

…about outdated appliances in Carlyle Court

“There are large chunks of the building which haven’t been renovated since the ’80s. Many rooms don’t have overhead lights, so you can either bring your own lamp or live in darkness. Radiators will occasionally turn biblical and flood your apartment.”

—Max Tiefer, Copy Chief, lived in Carlyle Court 2019-20

…about the Lipton elevators

“There are two elevators for floors two through eight of Lipton, and two for the upper floors. One elevator for the higher floors was always out of order. It may not sound like a big deal, but when there’s a two-person maximum occupancy because of COVID-19 guidelines and you’re trying to get to class, it can be a really frustrating experience.”

—Sydney Barragan, UTA Publishing Editor, lived in Lipton Hall 2020-21