As an incoming first year, there is plenty to be thinking about. Between friends, clubs, classes, and social life, we all have a lot on our minds this summer. But even with all these things coming up, right now your biggest college concern is probably where you’re going to be living for your whole first year at Conn. At Conn, almost any dorm on campus could become your new home, considering all dorms are mixed class year and mixed gender. Keep reading to get the inside scoop on the seven best freshman dorms at Connecticut College!
Hamilton House is located on the North side of campus in “the Plex” – the massive complex that houses 6 dorms as well as the main dining hall. Located behind Lambdin House, Hamilton gets the worst ranking due to its communal bathrooms, cinder block walls (that affect your cell signal) and overall filth. The bathrooms are almost always dirty unless you go right after the custodian cleans, the vents are filled with so much dust and mold it can be hard to breathe, and hanging things in your room can be a hassle. However, don’t lose all hope. If you do end up in Hamilton, you may be lucky enough to have and meet friendly neighbors, and once you figure out how to make things stay up in your room (adhesive putty) there’s a good chance you’ll eventually come to love it.
KB House is a dorm located in Central campus. It is right across from Cro—the college center. This is a huge plus because almost everything takes place at Cro—morning, afternoon and night. KB also has a café, called Coffee Grounds, located on the ground floor, which is good for a quick coffee or treat before class and also makes for a relaxing study environment.
Knowlton House is located in South campus and is Connecticut College’s foreign language dorm. Initially built as a hotel for visiting guests in Conn’s all-female days, Knowlton is known for its beautiful architecture and spacious rooms and hallways. What really makes Knowlton house cool is the fact that it is a language dorm. If you are interested in learning languages and getting to know people’s cultures, it is a great place to live and practice your language skills.
Windham House is located in Central campus, right behind the library and adjacent to Blaustein Humanities Center. Besides the huge rooms and large windows, what makes Windham the most appealing to students is its location. Living in Windham, almost everything is easily accessible to you—Temple Green, the library, Cro, and most of the major academic buildings.
Smith is such a cute, old dorm! Another Central campus gem, you can always count on it being one of the first dorms to fill up during housing selection in the spring. Besides its location, Smith is known for its dining hall, featuring breakfast and lunch – as well as a famous sandwich bar. Being able to wake up and have two meals in your own dorm is incredibly convenient. Meanwhile, Smith also feels very home-like, which will definitely help make your college transition go smoothly.
Like Hamilton, Lambdin is located in the Plex on the North side of campus. Although upperclassmen generally tend to avoid the Plex, I think Lambdin deserves a reevaluation. There’s something about Lambdin that separates it from the other Plex dorms —it’s always clean, the floor governors and house fellow always throw great events, you can decorate without a hassle and the rooms are large. Plus, the first floor is also home to Lambdin Game Room, which can be a great place to take a study break or hang out with friends. Despite what you may have heard about the Plex, I would encourage any Conn student to take a chance on Lambdin – it might just surprise you.
My first year of Connecticut College, I was always at Plant House. Another Central dorm, Plant is known for its great sense of comradery. I feel that it is the best dorm for freshmen because you meet so many people in your class, in addition to upperclassmen. Living in Plant is very helpful when trying to get comfortable with college life and make new friends— a guaranteed positive experience!
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