Living in a dorm full of rowdy freshmen isn’t as bad as it seems, some Boston University sophomores say&-unless you’re trying to sleep.
Warren Towers, located at 700 Commonwealth Ave., consists of the Fairfield Tower (A), Marshall Tower (B) and Shields Tower (C). Though comprised of 70to80 percent freshmen, Warren is also home to some returning sophomores who prefer Warren’s central location to that of other residences on campus, said BU Housing Director Marc Robillard.
But, as Robillard put it, “that is clearly the minority viewpoint,” with most sophomores choosing to live somewhere other than the freshman haven in their second years at BU.
Warren is situated near the College of Arts and Sciences and the George Sherman Union, as well in close proximity to T and BU bus stops. Several dining locations operate on the Warren block, including Starbucks, Subway and Olecito, as well as a City Convenience.
Other highlights of Warren include a dining hall and Late Nite Café, music practice room, study lounge, cinema room and games room.
Robillard said students who don’t receive their first choices in housing sometimes choose to stay in Warren rather than move to different residences.
CAS sophomore and Warren resident Amanda Kmetz said she and her roommate chose Warren over other sophomore-filled dorms because they weren’t offered better options.
“We didn’t get a good housing number,” she said. “I’m going to be happy to get out next year.”
Warren features singles, doubles, triples and quads for the standard minimum rate of $7,980 for the 2010-2011 school year, according to the BU Housing website.
Kmetz said Warren is often very loud due to the number of freshmen students, even during evening hours.
“It’s hard when you’re trying to sleep,” she said. “I find myself getting frequently annoyed at how loud people can be around here.”
Despite noise issues, Kmetz said she likes other characteristics of Warren, including the size of her room.
“We have a corner double,” she said. “They’re like about a room and a half.”
Kmetz said she also appreciates Warren’s central location.
“It still has good access to everything,” she said. “I can roll out of bed and go to class.”
Andrew Corse, also a CAS sophomore and Warren resident, said he also likes how near Warren is to most buildings on campus.
“It’s still really nice being close to CAS,” he said.
Like Kmetz, Corse said he chose to live in Warren because he didn’t receive a good housing number.
“Warren just kind of worked out,” he said. “We knew it could be fine again this year. It’s very easy to make friends in Warren.”
Corse said that one of the pros of living in Warren for the second year is that he was already comfortable with the residence.
“You’re already kind of established,” he said.
CAS freshman and Warren resident Poorva Bhade said she likes living in Warren, but that she wouldn’t consider living there as an upperclassman.
“There’s just so many people, it’s a good community,” she said. “It’s a good freshman experience.”
College of Communication freshman and Warren resident Jonathan Shedler said he was surprised at the number of sophomores who inhabit Warren, but that he plans to live in a different residence next year.
“As a sophomore, I wouldn’t consider coming back here again,” he said.
Natasha Mayat, a College of General Studies freshman and resident of Warren, said she also plans to live somewhere else next year.
“I think that [Warren] would be like third-to-last on the list,” she said.
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