To get everyone all caught up, finals week ended well--passed all of my tests, handed projects in on time, and said goodbye to my professors. After I handed in my last paper, I took a deep breath and...headed back to my room to work on packing. That wasn't easy, since I completely wrecked the place during finals week...getting everything together to move out may have actually been more stressful than my exams!
Anyway, I'm now back home in Poughkeepsie, NY, safe and sound. I've been here for just a couple of weeks, but part of me is already wanting to go back to Saint Mike's. I miss it so much! I'm grateful that I still have three more years...I haven't had enough of the place yet!
Of course, next year will be a completely different experience. New classes, new people (as we say farewell to the class of 2012 and welcome the class of 2016!) and, of course, a new place to live.
As a first-year, I lived in Lyons Hall in the Quad. The Quad is where all incoming freshmen will live. I had an awesome experience living there this past year--all of the buildings are so close to each other that it creates a really tight-knit community. I never had to walk far to go visit a friend. These buildings are also conveniently located right next to the academic buildings, Alliot (the dining hall), and the library. There were a few close calls when I'd wake up only ten minutes before a class, and I was still never late! (I don't recommend testing that out, though).
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| Lyons Hall |
Lyons--as well as Ryan, Joyce, and Alumni, the other buildings that make up the quad--is a four-story building that houses approximately 40 to 60 students per floor. The rooms are mostly doubles, with some triples and singles. There is a bathroom in every wing (each wing or floor is same-sex) and there is a student lounge in each building where students have access to a printer. The basements all have vending machines and multiple washers and dryers.
I lived on the fourth floor of Lyons Hall, in the South wing. I absolutely loved it there! The girls in my wing, as well as on my whole floor, were incredibly sweet and we really formed a little community within our hall. I lived in 416, which is a single. So, I didn't have the experience that the majority of my classmates had. On move-in day, there was no roommate waiting for me. I was excited to have my own room, but at the same time, I was scared--would I make any friends?
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| My mom took this picture of me right after I moved in! |
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| Soon enough, all of that blank wall space was full of papers and photographs. |
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| Singles are smaller than double rooms, but I loved Lyons 416...it was so cozy! |
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| I think this was the cleanest my desk was all year! |
It turns out, making friends wasn't a problem at all. My first night there, I had already met every girl in my wing, and we all gathered in one room and talked most of the night away. Throughout the week (and most of the year, in fact) I kept my door propped open whenever I was around and available to hang out, and people would come in and out of my room as they pleased. Eventually, I simply left my door unlocked when I was inside, and my closest friends knew they didn't even need to knock--they'd walk right in! My little single turned into a pretty neat hang-out spot for me and my friends, especially Tanya, who had a single on the floor below me, and Maya, who had a single in Joyce (and who will be my North Campus roommate in the fall!).
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| Tanya, Maya and I lay on the bed while Cait naps on the floor. This photo was taken during finals week, and as you can see, we were all exhausted! |
The Quad experience was something I'll never forget, and I'm sure it's unique, just as living in any other campus residence will be. Next year, I'll be in Linnehan, on North Campus...no more waking up 10 minutes before class anymore! It'll be fun to live with one of my best friends, but Lyons 416 will always remind me of my first year having a college experience. I hope whoever gets it next year loves it, and makes it their own. I'll miss that room!
Peace,
Lauren
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