Kevin Gisi

I get up in the morning, look around my room, at my desk, my trunk; I see my roommate’s bed. I also see a few things you probably don’t.

I see the door leading to the bathroom the two of us share, the microwave that came along with the room and the nice-sized television that also came with the room.

What dorm are we living in, you ask?

The answer is: none of them.

We live in the Plaza Hotel, in the overflow from campus.

This year, as in past years, the university has overbooked the residence halls.

So, some 130 students were placed in the Plaza Hotel, and 80 or so students were placed at the Quality Inn on Clairmont Avenue.

Having lived in two different residence halls in addition to the hotel, I have realized that every residence hall is different. Some are quiet and studious, some are very involved in campus activities, and – in my opinion – the hotel has been one of the most fun experiences I have had on campus.

True, there is a bit of a walk: six blocks, or so we are told. And it does become quite a journey in the winter, but there are certain perks to living in the hotels.

For example, the rooms are much larger and are shared by two

people.

The room comes with a television, a microwave and a mini- refrigerator. The room also has a private bathroom that you and your roommate share. There is a pool in the hotel that you are given access to, as well as a hot tub.

Nothing like a long soak in hot water to help you forget how cold it is outside.

The hotels and the university have worked together to arrange transportation to and from lower and upper campus by adding a stop for the campus buses, as well as a shuttle that runs to both hotels.

Several students have been concerned about missing out on experiences they would have on campus, as well as a feeling of being ostracized from the rest of campus.

But Deb Newman, associate director of housing, said, “We usually try to lodge students who are transfers and older students from campus to avoid having freshman in the hotels, as they do not know campus as well. … Every year there are around the same amount of reports from all the residence halls reporting students having trouble making friends.”

Sophomore Grant Beattie, who also lived on campus before living in the hotel, said, “I don’t really think it’s harder to make friends in the hotels as opposed to the dorms; it’s all about how much of an effort you make. I love living in the hotel, and if I could, I would live there next semester too.”

Linda Pratt, the hall director for the Plaza Hotel said, “I know that the university loses money by having the students live in the Plaza and the Inn.”

She also told me there was some report of people having a bit of trouble adjusting to the hotel, but usually by the time classes start those feelings are pretty much gone.

All in all, with the long walk in mind, as well as the noise from guests, the hotel is still a wonderful place to live, with the hot tub, pool and larger room.

It truly makes up for the distance from campus.