Written by Caitlin Graes
At bigger schools, you might make it to class on time if you wake up ten minutes before class and run as fast as you can. However, at AC you can wake up at the same time and saunter your way over to your class after brushing your teeth, and you will still have time to spare. No matter what dorm you live in, you'll only be a five-minute walk from everywhere on campus, which is amazing. While Caruth, an all-girls dorm, may be the most convenient because of its central location, you won’t be slighted by living in any of the other halls. Students are required to live on campus for three years, but this isn't all that bad when looking at the convenience of the living situation.There are many apartments and small houses called The Cottages on campus for students to take advantage of as upperclassmen. Your first year and second years will most likely be spent in a dorm. Many students make their closest friends in the ready-made selection of people in their "cluster" freshman year. First-year students are assigned to a cluster of about 20 other freshmen with an upperclassman RA, so your new best friends will most likely also be your next-door neighbors.
The dorms are all pretty equal as far as cleanliness and updated features go, but you might sacrifice extra space for in-room temperature control. The halls are traditional in most senses—you will have roommates, communal bathrooms, and overseeing RAs with rules. That's all part of the living experience, and most students just accept it. Once you survive two years in the dorms, you can look forward to the Roo Suites, Bryan Apartments, The Flats, or The Cottages, where you gain freedom, a private bedroom, and semi-private bathrooms.