Lakeside:
Johnson:
Katie: I am a freshman and I am SO lucky to be living at Johnson. The students, resident mentors, residence hall directors, and the first year coordinator are so friendly, accepting, and supportive. Even though you are required to take a college orientation and success class, the class is helping freshmen get involved in campus life, assisting with transitioning into a college student, and how to meet SUNY Oswego expectations. Some of my favorite aspects of Johnson: the hall is located on the lake, connected to the Lakeside dining hall (In my opinion, the best dining hall!), and the abundant amount of opportunities and events to get involved with everyday at Johnson ranging from getting ice cream, talent shows, and playing card games with the resident mentors! Although you are required to complete eight hours of community service, it is a great experience to be involved on campus and go outside of your comfort zone. If you are worried about having a class to take and required community service, the staff at Johnson provide you plenty of opportunities to become involved to ensure you are meeting the expectations and requirements, in addition to guidance on how to accumulate your community service hours. I have met SO many welcoming students within my first three weeks as a Laker and made many friends here. If you are looking for modern and inviting dorms, a room with air conditioning, and a great view of Lake Ontario…. I would highly recommend Johnson.
Waterbury:
Fay: Waterbury… Oh Waterbury. How I love you and yet despise your heat from hell. Basically, I love my dorm in Waterbury. I love the gorgeous view from my room, the newly renovated appliances and furniture, and of course, my roommate (shout-out to Luissa!). I have met some of the most wonderful, friendly people living here. Thing is- the temperature. My first night here, I thought I would suffocate from lack of cool oxygen. It did get somewhat better as the weather cooled, bit temperature-wise, it is not optimal. Also, it is a bit of a distance from any dining hall, since it is not connected to one. Everything else about the dorm is AWESOME. I feel so lucky to live in such a chill, welcoming, beautiful building.
Scales:
Olivia: I honestly love Scales. I feel like I got so lucky to be here. I spend a lot of time hanging out with friends in the lounges, which are very comfortable, and it’s created a very friendly environment around the building. I have a view of the lake from my room and I’ve gotten to go swimming a number of times because it’s such a convenient location. I do have to admit there are some downsides, like the heat (and living on the third floor, the heat of course just gets worse and worse as I go up) and the fact that there’s a dead tree outside my window. But overall, I’m very happy to have Scales as my first dorm!
West Campus:
Cayuga:
Jasmine: As a student I have lived in Cayuga for my freshman year and I have recently returned to this dorm as a junior. My first year at Oswego living in Cayuga was at first boring or slow because the residents did not interact with one another and everyone kept to themselves. Fortunately, towards the end of the fall semester and the beginning of the spring everyone began to hang out in the lounges more and Cayuga then became the hang out spot. I remember one night everyone had come to play pool and table hockey with one another and music was playing in the background. Everyone was enjoying themselves so much that the front desk complained to us about it being so loud, so we all decided to move to the basement lounge. Overall, this is the best memory that I have of living in Cayuga and I decided to return to this dorm because I am familiar with its setting. Also, this building is not as big as the other buildings on West Campus so there is somewhat of a more intimate feeling.
Oneida:
Allyson: I lived in Oneida for my first two years of college, both Freshman and Sophomore year, and boy am I glad to be off campus now! As many of you already know, the dorms on West Side are not the newly renovated buildings you are shown on tours when you first visit the campus. Though not the ideal living arrangement compared to literally any dorm on Lakeside, I believe Oneida is one of the better halls on West Side. You have tunnel access to both Littlepage dining hall and the Glimmerglass fitness center, which means no having to walk through snow for a meal or workout (and also no excuses for not getting to the gym!). The bus stops right down the sidewalk in front of the building, and if you happen to miss the bus, you have the added advantage of being able to wait for it to circle around the Village and come back through. While I did not have a memorable experience in a positive light, I can say that I was in great shape after walking everywhere! Jokes aside, Oneida is not as bad as everyone says it is, and for West Side living, Oneida was one of the best places to be.
The Village:
Jenna: Living in the Village is a GAME CHANGER. I went from living in a tiny room in Seneca where the carpet was squishy from leaked water (disgusting), to my own townhouse. Making my own meals in the kitchen feels great after eating fake chicken tenders for a year in Pathfinder *dry heaves*. I don’t miss having a meal plan at all because cooking and baking with your roommates is top tier. Also, we have air conditioning in every room in the house (drops mic).
Central Campus:
Hart:
Kate: Living in Hart so far has definitely been a memorable experience. I love meeting the international students and getting to know them and about where they’re from but what I don’t love is the fact there is no air conditioning. I am incredibly envious of my freshman friends who have the luxury of living in Johnson with nice cool rooms while my roommate and I suffocate in the heat even with our 5 fans. On the bright side, this is only temporary since when the weather starts to cool down, our room will too. Being in the “Hart” of campus has major bonuses though. Having all the buildings within a 5 minute walk is great in the mornings, and being connected to Cooper makes breakfast, lunch, and dinner easy. So I guess I’ll take the sweltering heat for a few weeks in order to have all the other great perks that come with living in Hart.