This is the third in a series of articles exploring next year’s housing options for Boston University students.
Despite the fact that students have to ‘swipe in’ and adhere to the Boston University guest policy, students in Myles Standish Hall, Shelton Hall and Danielsen Hall say they live in ideal on-campus locations for upperclassmen housing because of their spaciousness and seclusion.
Myles, Shelton and Danielsen house about 665, 405 and 275 students respectively and are all located on ‘east’ campus at or east of the Kenmore Square ‘T’ stop. Residents at these locations are predominantly sophomores, according to the directors of each residence’s Office of Residence Life.
The largest of the three halls, Myles Standish, located at 610 Bay State Rd., contains a dining hall, weight room, large study lounge, smoking lounge, small TV lounge, laundry facilities and a Ping-Pong and pool table. Myles also boasts the advantage of not having community bathrooms, but instead shared bathrooms among suites of usually two rooms, said Myles Standish ORL director Daryl Healea.
Shelton Hall, located at 91 Bay State Rd., is the closest to main campus of the three residences and has a dining hall, a fitness room, music room, pool table, large study lounge and smoking lounge, said Shelton director of Residence Life Rebekah Freeman.
Shelton, a former hotel, is favored by students because of the spaciousness and of the rooms, and the fact that bathrooms are only shared between suites, much like in Myles.
At 512 Beacon St., Danielsen Hall is nearer to Massachusetts Avenue then Boston University campus, but students say it is refreshing because it is ‘not your typical dorm.’
Although Danielsen lacks a dining hall, it does have a bicycle room, pool and Ping-Pong table, and a fully functioning kitchen open to its residents, said Danielsen’s ORL director Pauline Gauthier.
Harry Beck, a freshman in the College of General Studies, called the quiet keep-to-oneself atmosphere in Myles a ‘blessing.’
‘I came from [West Campus] and now I have a single, and I like it much better,’ Beck said. ‘It is much more laid back here.’
One of the most frequent complaints about living in Myles is the location.
‘The distance can get bad,’ said Erika Pike, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. ‘People won’t come to visit.’
Others viewed the location as an advantage because the city is at such a close proximity.
While some rooms in Myles are large, others are tiny complained one student.
‘I have a small single and I pay the same as people who have a single that is double my size,’ Beck said.
The dining hall received mixed reviews from the students interviewed. While one student bragged that ‘Myles has the best dining hall on campus,’ another argued that ‘they recycle food.’
Although Myles has a swipe-in security system, it is not as uptight as other dorms, residents said.
‘Security is more lax then Warren,’ said Jim Campolongo, a College of Communication sophomore. ‘People have just run past the security guards before.’
Shelton resident Jane Mooney said she has had a great time living in the residence.
‘Besides the [Student] Village, this is my favorite dorm,’ said Jane Mooney, a CAS junior.
Because of the quiet and anti-social tendencies of Shelton, students recommended the calm environment to upperclassmen who have already made a group of friends.
‘I hardly know anybody on my floor,’ said David Blanton, a CAS freshman.
Mooney also found the residence to be un-social.
‘There is no community,’ she said.
Danielsen residents said they are generally happy about the rooms and said they like having private bathrooms, though they said they found the location a hassle, especially with regards to dining. A shuttle service is provided every hour to drive students to campus, though it stops at sundown.
‘The walk to Myles [to eat] becomes an issue when it is 5 degrees and snowing,’ said Rebecca Hawthorne, a CAS freshman. ‘Even though there is a shuttle, it only comes every hour and stops at dark so it is kind of useless.’
Students said they have also noticed a rather a large mouse problem.
‘There are a lot of mice, but they are nice little ones,’ said Anne Pamp, a CAS sophomore.
Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences freshman Sandy Soin also said she has noticed the mice, but disagreed on the size.
‘There are huge mice, and a lot of them,’ Soin said. ‘But I hear they are trying to take care of them.’
Gauthier said that exterminators have come about the mouse problem and that the dormitory’s Residence Hall Association is having a meeting with a university vice president about the issue.