The Ultimate Guide To Freshman Dorms At Northeastern
Moving into the dorms at Northeastern might seem intimidating, but the school definitely does their best to make it a little bit lighter with their huge rolling carts and the dozens of wooden ramps they set up. But no matter how many flights of stairs you had to overcome with your mattress cover, freshman year housing is as memorable as it gets wherever you are. Here are some guidelines to the dorms at Northeastern University.
Some tips to keep in mind:
Your roommate may or may not be your best friend.
If they are, cherish that. If they’re not, try the neighbor next door. There are plenty of dorms at Northeastern and plenty of friends to be made.
When in doubt, always choose an LLC that goes with your major.
This way, your neighbors will help you with your homework and lend you textbooks. Living Learning Communities, or LLCs, are themed communities within the freshman dorms at Northeastern that aim to group people by their similarities or differences, to help you have more control over the people you live with.
If you have a hard time getting motivated for the gym, live closer by.
Living in one of the dorms at Northeastern close to the gym makes all the difference in winter (same goes for dining halls).
DON’T lose your Husky Card.
PSA: Don’t keep your husky card in your bra.
Make friends with people who have better lottery tickets than you.
Dorms at Northeastern are assigned by lottery number, which is based on credits, and very useful when you’re looking for a five bedroom economy with no randos.
First Year Dorms At Northeastern:
International Village
IV is great for people who already live in IV. Most people think it’s one of the dorms at Northeastern that’s too far from campus, and you have to go through a sketchy public tunnel to get to class, but why would you ever leave in the first place? Annie Halcomb, class of 2019, who has had a taste of both worlds says, “IV was good. It was nice to have a single and central air. Also, having the gym and dining hall attached made it super convenient in the winter. I was on a floor with mostly upperclassmen, so it was pretty calm and quiet; but I know the freshman halls got pretty loud. More of a typical dorm than Light was.”
Location: International Village is conveniently located next to the T (subway and bus) station, and a short walk from academic buildings. International Village includes a gym and a dining hall located on the first floor. All first year students are located on floors two through nine.
Bedroom types: Enhanced single semi-private bedrooms (shares bathroom with connecting room) and enhanced double semi-private bedrooms (shares bathroom with connecting room).
Lounges: Yes
Vending machines: Yes
Elevator: Yes
LLCs
Honors
The honors LLC is the most exclusive one, because you have to invited in; but if you want to spend a good amount of your time studying, this is probably the place for you.
Kennedy Hall
I don’t have much to say about Kennedey Hall, but this girl does.
Location: Kennedy Hall is a five story suite-style residence hall. Kennedy Hall faces Hemenway Street and offers clusters of suites – some with small living rooms.
Bedroom Types: Standard single bedrooms, standard double bedrooms, economy double bedrooms, and economy triple bedrooms.
Lounges: Yes
Vending machines: Yes
Elevator: Yes
LLCs
Fusion
Titled accurately, the LLC is all about interacting with people from different majors, interests, and backgrounds.
Kerr Hall
Kerr is very dear to my alternative-wannabe heart. The people are really too cool for me and some of the chillest people I have ever met; and the building oozes homeliness. No one says it better than Halle Butler, class of 2018, when she says, “Kerr was a nice dorm that didn’t feel like cinder blocks; but luckily I liked my roommate, because those were some close quarters. Sometimes it felt like a million miles from campus but it’s nothing compared to the trek to the hill as a freshman. I would say just pick the LLC that feels right. I did a little bit of music in high school, but that did not prepare me for the quirky passionate musicians of Kerr.”
Location: Kerr Hall is a six story traditional style residence hall. Facing “The Fenway,” Kerr Hall is a residence hall that offers students a smaller close knit community feel.
Bedroom types: Standard single bedrooms, standard double bedrooms, standard triple bedrooms, economy double bedrooms, and economy triple bedrooms.
Lounges: Yes
Vending machines: Yes
Elevator: Yes
LLCs
Musical Motifs
If you could’ve gone to art school but somehow ended up at Northeastern, you’ll fit in well here.
Light Hall
If you ever live in leased property, explained later on, you might have a great distaste for Light Hall because it’s where you deal with your leased property problems and have to drop off your key before you leave. PSA: you may almost miss your flight. PSA #2: the RAs are very understanding.
As for actually living in Light hall, I’m going to hit you with another insightful quote: “Light is an old building, which meant every room was different, and it felt more like a house than a dorm building, which I liked. My quad was crazy spacious, with two large bay windows and a mantel. It had a lot of character for sure, and was a comfortable, quiet dorm with only about 50 residents in the whole building. The downfall was mainly no air conditioning, and there was no doorway or wall between the proctors station and the rest of the building; so you could often hear Skype conversations or blasting Netflix at 3 in the morning down the hall,” says Annie Halcomb, class of 2019.
Location: Light Hall is a 3-story traditional style residence hall. Light Hall faces St. Stephen Street and is a quick walk from the Stetson East and Stetson West Dining Halls.
Bedroom types: Standard single bedrooms, standard double bedrooms, strandard triple bedrooms, economy double bedrooms, economy triple bedrooms, and economy quad bedrooms.
Lounges: Yes
Vending machines: Yes
Elevator: No
LLCs
Living Green
Reduce, reuse, recycle?
Political Engagement and the Urban Society
Trying to make a difference for the community and for minorities since the LLC program was coined.
Melvin Hall
This was the second or third dorm building I ever stepped into, because my roommate’s twin brother lived here (isn’t that cool?), and it’s definitely a place filled with potentially great stories (like the cops checking in on you and waiting two hours for pizza).
Location: Melvin Hall is a 6-story traditional style residence hall. Facing “The Fenway,” Melvin Hall is a residence hall that offers students a smaller close knit community feel.
Bedroom types: Standard single bedrooms, standard double bedrooms, standard triple bedrooms, economy double bedrooms, and economy triple bedrooms.
Lounges: Yes
Vending machines: Yes
Elevator: Yes
LLCs
From Novel to Big Screen
Do you always read the book before you see the movie? Enough said.
Cultural Inclusion
This LLC is for students looking to learn about different cultures by immersion.
Smith Hall
I have an inkling that Smith Hall has recently changed around their LLCs, but as far as I remember, there was a lot of video games? “My dorm was mostly boys who were computer science majors and were kind of introverted. I had a really crappy living situation where they put me in an ‘economy double’ – which was essentially a single with bunk beds – and we had no living space,” said Carrie Wise, class of 2019, who spent more time at Speare than Smith; but to each his own.
Location: Smith Hall is a three story traditional style residence hall. Located on Hemenway Street, Smith Hall offers a variety of programming and study space for all its students.
Bedroom types: Standard single bedrooms, standard double bedrooms, economy double bedrooms, and economy triple bedrooms. There are corner rooms on the first floor only.
Lounges: Yes
Vending machines: Yes
Elevator: Yes
LLCs
Bouvé College
Do you like medical sciences #1: physical therapy, nursing, health sciences, and pharmacy?
Pre-Health
Do you like medical sciences #2: allopathic (MD), osteopathic, dental, optometry, podiatric, or veterinary medical?
Healthy Living
You probably don’t like medical sciences. Focused more on stress management, nutrition, physical activity, spirituality, and more.
Speare Hall
Speare was my start here at Northeastern, and while I could say a lot about it, I’ll leave that to my pseudo-roommate Lindsay Christie, class of 2019 (who then became my actual roommate and will continue to live with me for the rest of eternity). “Kids from all over the world move into Speare to join the international business and business LLCs. Come September 1, Speare is like the damn United Nations. Nothing short of crazy smells, languages you’ve never heard, and the occasional visit by the police.”
“Nonetheless, Speare holds some of my favorite college memories thus far. It’s where you’ll meet your best friends, make too much racket at 3 a.m., and hear people having shower sex in the communal bathrooms far too often. Don’t use the handicap shower, don’t leave your clothes in the laundry room, and don’t try and sneak your friends in through the basement door (you will get caught). I highly recommend eating your weight in gummies and cheez-its from the vending machine; and the sooner you find the shower with the best water pressure, the better,” she says. P.S. The mail room, housing offices, the Wiffle ball court, and Husky Replacement are ALL downstairs.
Location: Speare Hall is a four story traditional style residence hall. With entrances on both Huntington Avenue and Speare Place, Speare Hall is a residence hall that also houses several campus offices on the lower and main level.
Bedroom types: Standard single bedrooms, standard double bedrooms, and economy double bedrooms.
Lounges: Yes
Vending machines: Yes
Elevator: Yes
LLCs
Global Visions (D’Amore-McKim School of Business)
Calling all business students! Your group project partners will most likely live in the same building as you.
Corporate Explorers
You like business, but you don’t know what to concentrate on.
Women in Business
You are a woman… in business.
International Business
You are an International Business Student.
Stetson East Hall
The best dining hall on this side of campus is DOWNSTAIRS. Basically, you could get breakfast in pajamas, and nothing else really matters.
Location: Stetson East is a four story traditional style residence hall. With entrances on both Hemenway Street and Speare Place, Stetson East is a residence hall that also houses one of three main dining halls on campus: Levine Marketplace. This makes it one of the most bustling dorms at Northeastern.
Bedroom types: standard single bedrooms and standard double bedrooms.
Lounges: Yes
Vending machines: Yes
Elevator: Yes
LLCs
Leaders of the Pack
Learn to lead Huskies through academic, service, social, and community-based experiences.
Sports Leadership
Learn to lead Huskies in sport related teams.
Outdoor Leadership
Learn to lead Huskies into the wild.
Community Service
Work with the Center of Community Service and stay hands on.
Stetson West Hall
Your orientation group might stay here for a few days, and this place might be the first taste of college life you ever get. Don’t let the gray walls scare you; Katy DiLorenzo shares, “The rooms looked like a prison cell, but it was like being in prison will all your friends.”
Location: Stetson West is a four story traditional style residence hall. With entrances on both Hemenway/Forsyth Street and Speare Place, Stetson West is a residence hall that also houses one of three main dining halls on campus.
Bedroom types: standard single bedrooms, standard double bedrooms, and standard quad bedrooms.
Lounges: A mixture of multimedia and study lounges are available on each floor.
Laundry facilities: Yes
Vending machines: Yes
Elevator: Yes
LLCs
College of Computer & Information Science (CCIS)
People who spend all of their time on computers socializing with other people who spend all of their time on computers.
College of Engineering
You are probably an engineering student.
Connections (for Female Engineering Students)
You are probably a female engineering student.
White Hall
Wedged into a crevice right next to Qdoba, White has a great location and an even better front lawn in the fall. Just beware of calorie convenience. Thankfully, the gym is right across the street.
Location: White Hall is a five story traditional style residence hall. Located on the corner of Forsyth Street and Huntington Avenue across from the Marino Center, White Hall is a residence hall that also houses a retail restaurant named Qdoba.
Bedroom types: Standard single bedrooms, standard double bedroom, standard triple bedrooms, economy double bedrooms, economy triple bedrooms, and economy quad bedrooms.
Lounge: Located on the first floor.
Laundry facilities: Yes
Vending machines: Yes
Elevator: Yes
LLCs
NU Journeys (Undeclared Students)
Hang out with other people who don’t know what to study, so that you can ask each other every day if you have decided yet.
inNUvate (College of Science)
Not one science, all the science.
153 Hemenway Street
I was literally surprised when I saw that this was a freshman housing option, and I had to ask a friend where the hell this place came from. Nonetheless, it may have no LLCs, but the suites are huge and it’s in a prime location near a dining hall. Low key is high key, the best key. This dorm is like Loftman Hall’s little brother, as Loftman Hall serves upperclassmen.
Location: 153 Hemenway is four stories tall and is one of two suite style residence halls. 153 Hemenway faces Hemenway Street and offers clusters of suites, some with small living rooms.
Bedroom types: Standard double bedrooms, economy double bedrooms, economy triple bedrooms, and economy quad bedrooms.
Lounges: Yes
Vending machines: Yes
Elevator: No
Hastings Hall
Also another one of the lesser known dorms at Northeastern, because no one calls it that. This “hall” is basically a few floors in the YMCA building, which is basically on campus. It houses no LLCs, but a little bird told me that it comes with a free membership to the YMCA and that definitely makes it worth it. Free Zumba here I come.
Bedroom types: Economy single bedrooms and standard single bedrooms.
Lounges: Yes
Vending machines: No
Elevator: Yes
East Village
This is the one of the newest dorms at Northeastern, and it not only shelters freshman, but upperclassmen too. The entrance is gorgeous on its own, and everything is rumored to be super high tech and modern; but alas, there is no kitchen, which deems this a great freshman option, but not so great for anyone else.
All Other Housing
The rest of dorms at Northeastern falls into two categories, and by the time you get to these, you’ll probably have a better idea of what you need.
School Managed
These are buildings that are used for upperclassmen housing and are considered on-campus housing. Some of these dorms at Northeastern are more typical than others, and some are closer to campus than others, but they all have suite or apartment style accommodations.
West Village A-H
10 Coventry
106 St. Stephen Street
116 St. Stephen Street
122 St. Stephen Street
144 Hemenway Street
319 Huntington Ave
337 Huntington Ave
407 Huntington Ave
780 Columbus
Burstein Hall
Davenport Commons A & B
East Village
Hastings Hall
International Village
Loftman Hall
Rubenstein Hall
Willis Hall
Leased Properties
These are apartments that NU leased in different buildings to keep up with the demand in housing. It’s basically a real Boston apartment, except you have the benefits of using the school’s resources for any problems, like plumbing or a broken heater. PSA: You get a real key. DO NOT lose that; it costs like $100 to replace, because the school has to change the locks on the door too.
Columbus Ave
Douglas Park
The Fenway
Hemenway St.
Huntington Ave.
St. Stephen St.
Have any advice for those moving into the dorms at Northeastern? Comment below!Featured image source: youvisit.com
