Freshmen Residence Halls, Part Two

Going to Fountain Fling last weekend reminded me just how much I loved living on the Vern and sometimes even miss it, so I thought I'd share some pictures of where I lived my freshmen year- Merriweather Hall on the Mount Vernon campus.

First off, contrary to what it sounds like, the Vern is NOT in Virginia or near George Washington's Mount Vernon estate. It is very much in DC, just up the road from Georgetown University in the Foxhall neighborhood, with some pretty cool neighbors... including the German and French Embassies, as well as Senator John Kerry and the woman who introduced John and Jackie Kennedy (I can't remember her name, but she is really nice- friends of mine were trick-or-treating at her house and she told them stories about the DC social scene way back in the '50s and '60s).

View Larger Map

Point A is the Foggy Bottom campus, Point B is the Vern. See? Just a short 10-15 minute shuttle ride apart! Connecting the campuses is the Vern Express, running 24/7, 365. Want more info? Check this out:

Now that you know where the Vern is and how to get there, how bout I show you around? Here's a map so you can get your bearings.

First up, Lloyd Gym. Here is where you find gym space for Vern residents, basketball hoops and volleyball set-up available, cardio equipment, FREE mountain bike rentals, and the Vern pool, open Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Just up the hill is the Mount Vernon Tennis complex, home to our Men's and Women's Division 1 tennis teams, as well as a great place for all students to brush up on their tennis skills. 

In the background is the newly rebuilt Pelham Hall, featuring rooms with four single bedrooms and a common area, a brand-new dining facility, student office space, and a black box theatre for students. Awesome new building, opening this Fall! I haven't personally been inside yet but I've heard its great. 

 Next to the tennis complex is the soccer/field hockey/lacrosse field, home to all of those men's and women's club and Division 1 sports teams. Also a fun place to kick around a soccer ball or throw a football with friends, as well as an excellent place to build snowmen in the winter :)

 Located on the Vern is the Dean of Freshmen, Fred Siegel. There to help with questions about classes or talk about the Redskins game last night, Dean Siegel is a great resource for how to navigate GW and DC.

 Here's the University Police Dept. Gatehouse, headquarters for UPD on the Vern. They patrol campus 24/7, through all the academic buildings as well as residence halls. 

Hand Chapel, classroom space and location for Catholic Mass on Sundays hosted by the GW Newman Center. 

 Merriweather Hall, my home from freshmen year. 

Here are some pictures of my room from freshmen year... please don't notice the extremely messy state of my room...

My side of the room...

Roommate's half.....

Alright, I admit it... I have wayyy too much stuff... But Christie was visiting when I took these, so I blame her for some of the clutter!

Dressers, TV showing Phil of the Future (don't judge), closets in the background...

Bathroom we shared with two girls in double next to us.

Except for the newly built Pelham Hall, most rooming options on the Vern are double suite, set-up with two doubles sharing a bathroom, as mine was. Each building also has a kitchen, laundry, and tv/rec room for residents to use. Here are some pictures from our end-of-the-year BBQ my friends and I threw freshmen year in the tv lounge and the Merriweather patio...

Watching TV and waiting for grill to heat up...

Barbeque! Yay! We rented it from the Mount Vernon Campus Life office for the party.

Great group of friends having a BBQ out on the patio... What could be better? Great way to end freshmen year!

Eckles Library- best place to study during finals on either campus!

Eckles' entrance.

The fountain in the middle of the quad.  Great place to do some reading and/or tanning!

Acheson Science building. Lots o' labs for chemistry, geography, and forensic science classes.

Main academic building on Vern and also home to the Women's Leadership Program and GW's Interior Design program. 

Ames Dining Hall, GDub Java, and administrative offices upstairs. Downstairs, mail and package services for Vern residents and The Pub.

Ames Dining Hall. Great place to eat a meal with friends or grab a snack on the way to/from classes. Options include salad bar, a grill featuring burgers, chicken strips, pizza, etc., sandwiches, and a rotating hot entree stand.

The Pub.

Free foosball! Free air hockey!

Plus plenty of couches and tables or meetings, working on a project, watching tv, studying, or taking a nap.

Softball field. Home to our women's Div. 1 team.

Porch outside the Pub overlooking the softball field. Great place to grill out :)

Well, I hope enjoyed the look at my life from freshmen year! It was nice to take a walk down memory lane... especially since I gradute on Friday! Ahhhh! But I still have one last final to get through tomorrow... Wish me luck!

~ Vickie