Written by Kerith Rae
Radford dorms are on the older side, but are very well maintained. Some of the dormitories allow students to control their own heating and air conditioning on a room-by-room basis. Many dorms are suite-style, with two rooms sharing a bathroom, but with the triple rooms that are much larger, students get their own bathrooms. The school provides many room essentials and has several programs that allow students to rent items such as refrigerators and microwaves for a reasonable price. Also, each dorm has a housekeeper that maintains all of the common areas, hallways, stairs, and elevators. All dorms are smoke-free, but offer smoking areas 25 feet away from each building. Lastly, all dorms are conveniently located within walking distance from all classes.
Every dorm has a Residence Hall Council that helps students get involved in on-campus activities and bond through programs and dorm activities such as movie nights or midnight breakfasts. Themed living is available in several of the dorms, and Muse has several single-sex floors. While dorm living is vital to creating bonds with fellow students, especially during the first year of college, it does have its drawbacks. Dorms are not soundproof, and students often complain about a noisy neighbor or floor. Also, dorms are required to do monthly fire drills that range from drills in the daytime to the early hours of the morning, and if a student happens to live in Muse, a fire drill can be an extremely long event. Also, on many occasions, police and emergency services will make appearances to deal with alcohol poisoning or drug violations.