This is my personal ranking and opinion of Marist freshman dorms. I am currently living in Leo Hall, which I love, and consider it one of the best halls for freshmen.
1. Champagnat Hall (Champ)
Pros
- Connected to Student Center, Rotunda, the Cabaret, and the Dining hall!
- The amount of times I have walked from Leo to the Dining hall in the winter while bundled up in my parka and I glance over and see people in nothing but sweats and t-shirts because they just had a convenient indoor stroll from their rooms in Champ.
- Lounges on each floor! Half the floor is girls and the other half is guys so it is nice to be able to mingle in the shared lounge.
- Elevator is quick, unlike Leo’s, if you’ve ever been in it you know what I am talking about.
- Closer to academic buildings than half of the other freshman dorms.
- Nine floors so a lot of new people to meet constantly.
Cons
Loud at all hours, which sometimes makes it hard to concentrate if you want to get work done.
2. Leo Hall
Pros
- More social than Sheahan, but not as rowdy as Champ. So a nice mixture of both worlds.
- Closer to the McCann Center (aka the gym) than Champ and Marian.
- All the floors are very friendly, and it is easy to make friends with your floor.
- Nice river view from the windows.
Cons
- Smaller rooms than Sheahan and Marian.
- Only two lounges, and the ground lounge is usually full of ground floor boys playing video games.
- Also the lounges don’t have ping pong or pool tables.
- Washers and Dryers are always full, and often don’t work.
- Non coed floors.
3. Marian Hall
Pros
- Every fashion major living in Marian can vouch for the huge closets!
- Closest freshmen dorm to academic buildings.
- Has the most spacious rooms.
- A lounge on each floor.
- One quiet study room on second floor.
- Coed by wing on each floor, so there are guys and girls on each floor.
Cons
- Furthest from the gym.
- Rooms are often used for triples and quads; having three to four people in a room might get a little cramped.
4. Sheahan Hall
Pros
- Closest to the gym.
- Main lounge has a pool table and a ping pong table!
- The rooms are spacious.
- You never have to go to the library to study, because it is always quiet.
Cons
- Furthest from academic buildings.
- Non coed floors.
- 24 hour quiet hours, which can be very inconvenient if you want to hangout with friends in your room.
- Claimed to be haunted by a girl named Shelley, who went to Marist and was murdered by her boyfriend in the dining hall in 1974.
- Only three floors and has no elevator, which makes it difficult when trying to bring a heavy case of water or shopping bags up the stairs!
5. Midrise Hall
Pros
- If you don’t know anyone from Marist at first, you have multiple roommates fresh off the bat.
- Although there is only one floor of freshmen, everyone on the floor probably becomes very friendly.
- Shared living room.
- No communal bathrooms, which is convenient.
Cons
- You have to clean your own bathrooms, which if neglected can get very disgusting.
- You have to share the bathroom with over five people.
- Orientation leaders mentioned that if you have never roomed with someone before that living in Midrise would be very difficult because you would have to manage multiple roommates.
- Only one floor of freshman, so not many people to meet.
What are your favorite Marist freshman dorms? Comment below!
Featured photo source: flickr.com
