Written by David Glidden
GW’s dorms are definitely some of the sweetest in the country—the majority of them are converted apartment buildings and hotels, or recently-built facilities. About half of the freshman class will live in Thurston Hall, GW’s largest dorm. Because of its reputation as a party dorm, most students who live in Thurston either love it or hate it—but most love every minute of it. Rooms range from doubles to sixes, and each has a bathroom and one or more walk-in closets. Although they might sound spacious, the rooms are cramped and residents sometimes feel like they’re on top of each other. Because more than 1,000 first-years are living together, there’s always a party in Thurston, so it can be hard to concentrate on homework there. Potomac House is another large freshman dorm, but much newer and nicer. Other freshman dorms are smaller, older, and quieter, but can still form a sense of community.
Unlike dorms at some other city schools, GW’s are all located very close to or on campus, with only a few exceptions. Freshmen placed in the dorms on the Mount Vernon campus have differing opinions about where they live. The 15-minute shuttle ride to the campus makes it much less convenient, especially when you have an 8 a.m. class on the Foggy Bottom campus to get to. However, many have a strong sense of pride and community living on the Vern and enjoy the small dorms and peaceful surroundings. The only other undergraduate dorm that is off-campus is City Hall, a one- or two-minute walk outside campus boundaries. Many students feel no need to move out of University housing because most of GW’s accommodations are so beautiful. The newest dorm at 2135 F Street is reserved for seniors but offers four singles in a suite configuration with bathrooms, a kitchen, living room, dishwasher, and laundry washers and dryers in each suite. The University prides itself on its facilities and residence halls and purchases and builds dorms regularly.