If the craziness of winter quarter wasn’t enough for you, here comes the housing contract! Open to all students who want to live on campus during the 2017-2018 school year, the housing contract can be treacherous those who don’t know about all their options. Below are some descriptions about some of the newly-renovated and most-beloved residence halls on Northwestern’s campus.
South Campus:
1838 Chicago
1838 Chicago was recently renovated and opened in Fall 2016 to freshman students only. In the 2017-2018 school year, 1838 will be open to all students, regardless of their year. The building is home to double and single rooms with newly renovated bathrooms, lounges and a gym in the basement. 1838 is closer to Downtown Evanston and the sorority quad, but far from Norris and the fraternity quad. Residents of 1838 have access to all amenities in Shepard Hall and Allison Hall, including the Allison Dining Hall, the Engagement Center and Demonstration Kitchen in Shephard Hall.
1835 Hinman/Willard Res College
Students who choose to live in 1835 Hinman for the 2017-2018 school year will have a pleasant surprise come winter quarter when they are moved into the newly-renovated Willard Hall for the remaining of the school year. Willard was re-designed completely, from a new entrance and redesigned Fran’s Café to bathrooms and student rooms on each floor. Willard will have a small fitness center and new engagement center, similar to Shepard Hall, and an open concept. What the residence hall lacks in location, it will make-up for in the new amenities available to students.
Shepard Hall
Renovated on the same schedule as 1838 Chicago, Shepard Hall is part of the Allison Residential Community that has access to the amenities in Allison Hall and 1838 Chicago. “New Shepard” has the reputation on campus for being incredibly nice and modern, with beautiful new bathrooms and study spaces. Shepard Hall offers both singles and doubles for all students and is in close proximity to Allison Dining Hall and downtown Evanston. This year, Shepard might be one of the hardest dorms to get a room in.
North Campus:
560 Lincoln
The only brand-new residence hall opening its doors to students in the fall, 560 Lincoln is located just north of Kemper Hall. This dorm is ideal for students who are involved in activities and classes that take place on north campus, particularly engineering and science majors. The 7-story building is designed for suite-style living with open lounges and multi-use spaces to facilitate a strong sense of community.
Bobb Hall/McCulloch Hall
While Bobb and McCulloch Hall are recognized as two separate halls, they are connected on the second, third and fourth floors. Bobb and McCulloch are notorious for being the most social halls on campus with the strongest community. Mostly first years and sophomores inhabit Bobb/McCulloch, mostly because it’s the dorm that everyone loves to hate. What Bobb/McCulloch lacks in cleanliness and modernity of other residence halls, it makes up for in its community. This residence hall is for the student who wants the quintessential college experience, complete with staying up all night with a very social atmosphere.
Elder Res Community
Like 1838, Elder will be open to all students during the 2017-2018 school year, not just freshman students. Elder provides a close community that is comparable to that of Bobb/McCulloch hall but is tighter because of the open concept of the dorm. It is common to see students collaborating or hanging out in the hallways and lounges. That sense of community may diminish slightly with the allowance of classes other than freshman. Elder is also home to a dining hall that serves breakfast and dinner. The only downside is Elder’s location, essentially at the very end of north campus. It’s a sacrifice that many students make for the well-loved community that is Elder.