Finding a place to live in college is one of the many important steps we all must take before actually stepping foot on campus that first day (and it is a choice we will all need to remake every year). These are big decisions because like UC Irvine, all colleges have a wide variety of housing options. Some will be available to you and some will not, but it is always important to research! Keep reading for the low down on all on-campus living and the ultimate ranking of UCI dorms!
Let us start with my personal last choice for housing at UCI, shall we?
These two separate housing options have been paired together because while they have different names and different architecture, their features are virtually indistinguishable. Verano Place houses roughly 1,221 students and Palo Verde houses 1,070. These students are made up of graduates studying mostly medicine or law. There is a very small number however of undergraduate students but they must be above the age of 25. This is real adult living people!
While all UC Irvine housing is far above adequate, these two graduate and family apartment buildings are ranked last because as a struggling college student (which most of us will be) these options are not convenient with electric and telephone bills not being included in the rent and the apartments unfurnished condition. Despite these inconveniences however, these apartments are located on the east side of campus and are walking distance from the Anteater Recreation Center and from many classes.
This housing option is independent on-campus living for graduates and undergraduates at UCI. Campus Village is located in the center of campus near the Science Library, making it easy to commute to any part of UC Irvine in no time! These residence are provided with many amenities including a game room, fitness center, and computer lab. Undergraduate student houses contain two bedrooms with double occupancy while graduate student housing contains two single occupancy bedrooms. The best part about living in Campus Village is its perfect location for access to the university and its furnished condition! No expensive furniture shopping necessary.
Arroyo Vista is UCI’s oasis for all things themed housing! This is where Greek life happens for the anteaters. This housing option is for undergrads and transfer students and all bedrooms are double occupancy. A large full kitchen allows students to prepare all of their own food so that they do not need to sign up for voluntary meal plans. Arroyo Vista is located on the east side of Irvine’s campus near the Anteater Recreation Center. The only downside to this housing option is the ten to fifteen minute commute to the campus core, however there are also convenient shuttle options available.
If you are familiar with The Lord of the Rings trilogy, this name probably sounds very familiar. Middle Earth is where the hobbits live and it is also where you can live! This housing option is for first year anteaters and contains 24 residence halls ranging from 45 to 75 beds. Here, there are single, double, and triple room availabilities as well as co-ed and single gender. There are many great things about living in these hobbit homes including its convenient location directly off of Ring Road (UCI’s central path connecting each of Irvine’s schools).
There are four ACC Apartment options at UC Irvine including: Vista del Campo Norte, Camino Del Sol, Vista Del Campo, and Puerta Del Sol. While it is pretty easy to confuse their names, these apartments are as close to resort living as you will get to at UCI! They are privately operated by American Campus Communities and located on the east side of campus. Although it is fastest to take a shuttle to the campus core, utilities are covered in rent and each apartment comes entirely furnished. These apartments are a sure way to get used to luxurious living with their beautiful architecture and fabulous pools! While every anteater would surely love to live in these resort-like apartments, it is almost like a right of passage. Graduates are the only Irvine students with access to the ACC Apartment complexes and maybe that is the only reason they are not ranked first.
This is homey, welcoming first year living, the place that makes us little freshman (we have all been there) feel like we can actually do this living away from home thing. The Classic Halls at Mesa Court have between 48 and 85 beds per hall. There are 6 rooms per each single gender suite and shared bathrooms per floor. The Classic Halls contain hall kitchens and living rooms, as well as laundry and study rooms. The Classic Hall’s inviting atmosphere is also home to themed housing for freshman to get involved in their school and meet new people. I personally love the Classic Hall’s abundance of vegetation and thoughtful foliage, it adds a lot to these building’s already peaceful ambiance.
Can you say brand-spankin new? The Mesa Court Towers are just that, and you can live in them if you are a lucky freshman this coming fall. The Towers are scheduled to be finished just before the beginning of the 2016 fall quarter. The three, six story towers contain 275 beds per hall with co-ed floors but single gender rooms. This housing option contains a study space on each floor and a great room with a kitchen. There are also laundry facilities in each hall.
The best part about The Towers is that each will come equip with their own fitness center and dining facility! You can eat up your freshman fifteen and then go burn it all off— all without having to leave the comfort of your new home. And let’s be honest, everyone loves something new. There is just something about knowing you will be the first student to have slept in your room, the first student to decorate those walls, and the first student to walk those shiny new halls. It’s magical and exciting to be the first at anything your freshman year… we all know there won’t be too many of those authoritative moments when you are at the bottom of the totem pole!
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