First year of college: open mind, big dreams and high expectations.
Then there is Reinert. A dorm that was nicknamed Dirty ‘Nert after the many quirks of the building.
Like many first-year students, I dreamed of living in one of Saint Louis University’s two newest buildings, Grand or Spring. However, in early July, my dream living assignment was quickly dismantled.
As a woman living in Reinert Hall, or “Dirty ‘Nert,” there are several causes for concern. The first thing that comes to mind is the distance that Reinert is from campus. Not only is it far but walking past Circle K (nicknamed “Shady K”)—a sketchy gas station between Reinert and main campus—at all hours of the day can make anyone nervous, especially for a five-foot-tall woman like me. Not only that, but the immense heat mixed with the walk to north campus (either to go to class or get on the shuttle…just to drive past Reinert on the way to south campus) can drain all your energy. Despite all of this, the real problems start when you get inside the building.
Living on the tenth floor is not easy. You can either take the humid staircase all the way up or the slow elevator just to end up in a hallway with no air conditioning. Once you get into your room, you will immediately be hit with a very distinct smell. For some people it’s the mold on the ceilings, and for others it’s a mysterious scent coming from the pipes in the bathroom. After you’ve let the room air out for a little bit, you’ll probably want to take a shower. I don’t know about all the other floors, but at least on floor 10, you never know how long your shower will last or if you’ll even be able to take a shower. The constant fluctuation of water pressure and the randomness of the showers breaking only leaves Reinert’s residents to cross their fingers, say a Hail Mary, and hope that they find some way to keep themselves clean every day.
I know I sound like a Negative Nancy right now, so maybe you think that living in Reinert is the worst thing that could happen to anyone—but I will admit that living in Reinert does come with some positives.
Reinert is most definitely a work in progress. With more options available in Reinert on the Go every day and the second elevator being close to having repairs finished, there is hope for a better Reinert in the near future. The bathrooms, although sometimes unpredictable, are great for privacy unlike some of the other halls on campus. Reinert also offers bigger rooms and—for some lucky residents—extra furniture for extra storage.
Despite the issues that Reinert sometimes presents, these issues have created a long-lasting community between residents. From my experience, I have met so many people on each floor who share many of the same struggles as me. This friendship and common struggle between the residents offers walking buddies to and from classes and showers to use if yours ever breaks. While my first three weeks at SLU have been dominated by my not-so-amazing experiences in this dorm, Dirty ‘Nert will hold a special place in my heart for years to come.