By Isabel Oalican, Staff Editor, and Nayantara Batra, Staff Writer
College living is a transition for practically everyone. Moving to a new campus, perhaps in a new state or section of the country, to live with 1,200 people you don’t know? It’s a daunting prospect.
But we like to this that Bryn Mawr offers students a home away from home in its twelve residential halls. From Brecon to the Pems, here is our personal guide to each dorm and what they have to offer: the good, the bad, and the ugly.
First, Pembroke East and West, collectively known as the Pems. Certainly the loudest of the bunch, they’re packed with excited first-years. There’s a never-ending supply of noise and energy—take that how you will—and easy access to almost every building on campus. If you’re an enthusiastic party person, the Pems are definitely for you! The Pem East vs. West party is awaited with bated breath every year.
If you’re looking for real estate in the west, you’ll find Rockefeller and Rhoads. Rock gives students the chance to express their artsy side by painting on their room window. It’s also the largest dorm on campus, so making friends shouldn’t be a problem. Despite its location on the far west side of campus, Rhoads sports its own backyard garden and outdoor patio for all your studying needs (the view is great too).
Now, to the east. Denbigh has a lovely mix of upperclassmen and first-years who enjoy a newly renovated common room and bathrooms. Rumor is, they even have an individual bathroom on one of the floors (oh là là). Denbigh is the perfect place for a perpetual latecomer; located on central campus, it is close to most academic buildings.
If The Conjuring is your thing, look no further than Merion. Sitting before Senior Row, it is quite possibly the spookiest of the bunch. Merion is also every book-lover’s dream dorm. Almost every room in the building has a large window seat where one can lounge with a fluffy blanket, steaming hot cup of coffee, and a book of choice.
The sun rises in the east and sets at Radnor, the last hall in the eastern wing. A unique dorm, Radnor has the odd combination of being the residency of both introverted quiet-seekers by day and eager party-throwers by night. As the smallest, yet one of the more social dorms, Radnor is up there with the Pems in its noise levels when a party is hosted within. The only caveat? It has acquired, not taste, but smell.
Then comes Brecon, a dorm best suited for those who just love climbing up a flight of stairs almost the height of Mount Everest every day. The upside? Brecon compensates for its location with a basement fully dedicated to the art of laundry. With over eight washers and dryers, a record at Bryn Mawr, the days of getting your laundry taken out, dried until it’s shrunken, and trampled on the floor are no more. In addition, Brecon is known for having the most spacious rooms on campus.
Next, New Dorm and The Enid Cook ‘31 Center (ECC). New Dorm is an introvert’s dream, with almost every room a single. If interaction isn’t your thing, but the luxuries of a brand-new dorm attached to a brand-new dining hall are, this is the perfect space for you.
Connected to New Dorm by a hallway, the ECC is “the Black Cultural Center and residence. […] ECC is open to members of Sisterhood, BACaSO, Mujeres and Zami, as well as to those students who share a cultural background or personally identify with the ideals of the ECC,” and boasts one of the three non-dining hall kitchens on campus. Apply here if you are a student of color looking for a recently renovated dorm with a good food, great A/C, and an even better cultural community.
Down the street lies Erdman: an absolute unit of a building. Erdman serves as the concrete kingdom of a residential hall and dining hall all in one. Its famous stir fry counter gives you the free reign to concoct any dish you please while shaking your hips to uplifting music. And even better, when the weather gets chilly and all of your friends are hiking to dinner in three different layers, you can casually stroll into dinner in only a t-shirt, a pair of sweats and slippers. Living the life of luxury indeed.
Last but not least, we have the mythical Batten House. The only place to live on campus where you don’t need a meal plan, Batten is every vegan’s idea of heaven. A place where you make what you want when you want it. Although the residents of Batten are often scarce at the social event of meals, many say it’s worth it with the beauty of not having to pay for an expensive meal plan and the luxury of being able to control what you put in your mouth. If you really enjoy cooking, definitely consider applying to Batten House.
Living in a college dorm definitely takes some adjusting. However, we can assure you that once you get past the hall-wide communal bathrooms, Bryn Mawr’s Hogwarts-like residential halls definitely have magic inside. We hope this guide will inform your next housing decision. Until then, happy browsing.
Image credit: Bryn Mawr College
Editor’s note 2019-12-18: some wording in the preceding article has been adjusted from its original publication form to better reflect the inclusive nature of campus life at Bryn Mawr.
