Freshman Housing Options

I've gotten a slew of emails recently asking about housing--so I decided to share with you the Freshman Housing profile I wrote a few months ago for your reference (and so I don't have to keep copying and pasting the same links into a zillion emails!!!)  I hope it's helpful!

ON THE MOUNT VERNON CAMPUS:

Living on the Mount Vernon Campus is a drawback for some, but others love it, and most grow to like and appreciate it.  It's a fairly quick shuttle ride from the Vern to Foggy Bottom, and shuttles depart from each campus every 15 minutes.  The Vern offers a perfect living situation for those who like urban life, but also want a space that isn't as overwhelming and a bit greener than the city.  There's a pool, tennis courts, a gorgeous quad with a fountain, and fields for various sports.

West Hall (The dorm formerly known as Pelham):  Pelham is really cool.  Yeah, I still call it Pelham for the most part.  But it really is cool.  It's the newest residence hall on either campus, and it's bright and shiny and has weird amenities that most schools don't have in their housing options.  For example, there's a brand-new fitness center, private study rooms, and recording studios and rehearsal spaces for anyone feeling artsy.  Rooms are singles and doubles, and there are kitchens and laundry facilities per  house, which I think translates to per floor.  There's also a dining  hall right there!  It's top-notch.

Clark Hall:  I was only in Clark once, but it was really nice from what I saw.  The rooms are doubles, with a bathroom shared between 2 rooms.  There's a kitchen and laundry facilities, and rooms are a good size.  It's located right by the main classroom building on the Vern, Post Hall.

Cole Hall:  I've never been inside, so my information is purely coming from the Living @ GW site (linked below), and what I know from the outside.  Cole is right next to The Vern's Eckles Library, so that's pretty convenient.  Like Clark, rooms are double suites with shared bathrooms between 2 neighbor rooms, and there is a community kitchen and laundry facilities.

Hensley Hall:  I've also only been in Hensley once!  It's a cute dorm, housing less than 40 kids, so everyone living there got pretty close over their freshman year.  Living options include singles and doubles with community bathrooms, as well as doubles with a shared bathroom between 2 rooms.  Hensley is also close to Eckles Library.

Somers Hall:  I've been in Somers a few times, and it's really nice.  It was built in '45 but renovated pretty recently, so it looks brand-spankin' new.  There are singles with private bathrooms and double suites with shared bathrooms between 2 rooms.  There are also study rooms per floor, and kitchens and laundry facilities.  It's also pretty centrally located on the Vern, near Ames dining hall and the Quad, near where the Vern Express stops.

Merriweather Hall:  Do not read beyond this point if you're a dude!  Merriweather is the all-girls option on The Vern.  There's a kitchen and laundry facilities, and only 43 students are housed there!  So it's tiny, but communal!

FOGGY BOTTOM CAMPUS

Thurston Hall:  Thurston is the quintessential Freshman residence hall, it houses about half our first-years.  Now you may have heard some crazy rumors about Thurston, but it's not as wild as some people will say it is.  I promise!  You get out of Thurston what you put into it, so you could treat it as just the place you sleep every night, or it could be the center of your Freshman year.  That being said, it's certainly a blessing for the social butterfly.  It's virtually impossible to come out of Thurston without a tight group of friends.  Rooms are pretty big, and they vary in how many occupants they have, from only 2 to as many as 6!  Most rooms are quads, though.  There are laundry facilities per floor, and the basement has a bunch of study spaces and common rooms.  Also, it's like, 3 blocks from the White House.  HUGE PERK.

Potomac House:  This house is largely occupied by ED1 students, it's most students' first choice.  The rooms are a good size but have always felt a bit narrow to me.  Rectangular.  But the building is new and the rooms are doubles, with private bathrooms per room.  Also, Carvings is on the first floor!  That's one of my favorite lunch spots--try the Harvard Wrap.  Centrally located on campus, so it isn't more than a 5-7 minute walk to most classes.

Madison:  I've never been in Madison, but everyone I know who lived there liked it!  There are doubles, triples, and quads, but most rooms are doubles.  There's also private bathrooms per room, and community laundry facilities of course.  Athletes often live here because it's close to the Smith Center athletic facilities, pretty central on campus, 7-10 minute walk to class.

Crawford:  Students live in singles, doubles, and quads.  Doubles aren't the biggest, but there are private bathrooms per room.  Laundry facilities are in the basement, I think.  Also, Crawford is right next to the Marvin Center, so if you want to grab a quick J Street meal, it's very easy.  Classes towards the E Street end of campus will be about a 10-15 minute walk, tops, but if you've got class in Phillips or Rome hall, they're a stone's throw away, so that's rather convenient.  Also, Gelman Library and Kogan Plaza are across the street.

For more information on housing, check out http://living.gwu.edu/, some houses are "themed"--but that didn't exactly shape my experience.  I'd say there was about one event per semester in my Freshman hall that had anything to do with our theme.  So don't worry about that.

Keep emailing, I love it!  ShireenS@gwmail.gwu.edu

<3 Shireen