The Best Dorm Culture for Freshman Students

Life in the dorms, especially for freshman students, is a thrilling experience. It’s a time of transition, often leading new students to find the circle of people who will become their most trusted friends who will leave lasting impacts on their college experience. Freshman year can be an exciting and stressful time that requires students to adjust their lives and schedules to be successful in their academics. The first step toward this success is choosing the right place to live.  

Liberty University offers a wide array of dorm styles that vary in price, location and community. Whether a student prefers to be near campus’s main buildings or is looking to be a chef in their own kitchen, students have a host of living options to consider. 

According to The Daily Californian, one of the most important parts of dorm life is the people a student meets and the community that they build. While not all students are used to having roommates, it can be a wonderful opportunity to make a new, lifelong friend.  

For first-year students, being as close to central campus as possible is the best option. During my first year at Liberty, living on campus was a great experience as I learned how to navigate the Jerry Falwell Library, DeMoss Hall, the Freedom Tower and the Reber Thomas Dining Hall. Most importantly, I knew I could get to everything within a short walking distance from my dorm, which allowed me to get to classes on time.  

Liberty’s Residence Life website gives incoming students all the information they need to choose the right dorm for their time at college. Each dorm offers different amenities, but they all have leadership that strives to maintain a Christ-centered culture and foundation.   

The dorms that are the most central to campus are the Commons and the Hill buildings.  The Circle, the Quads and South Tower are all located on the southern end of campus, with East campus positioned on the far side of campus, closer to Liberty Mountain and separated by highway.  

Commons has four locations, with Commons I and II housing both guys and girls in their own respective wings, while Commons III houses only girls and Commons IV houses only guys. Each student has one roommate and their own bathroom; each floor also has a common area so both male and female students can study, watch movies and play games together. For the hungry student, Commons I has a Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins on the ground floor so anyone can grab coffee and doughnuts on the go.  

The Commons buildings also have their own bus stops, making it easy for new students to find their way back home after a long day of navigating campus. 

The Hill and the Circle each allocate three people to a room, with community bathrooms in a more traditional dorm style as opposed to Commons. While there are no common rooms, the bedrooms are more spacious and there are nice outdoor seating options. The Circle is also closer to the Reber Thomas Dining Hall and the Student Health Center with accessible laundry services in the Commons buildings, while the Hill is closer to Green Hall and the LaHaye Recreation & Fitness Center.  

The Quads and South Tower lie at the southern end of campus, past the Circle buildings. At the Quads, there are 10 suitemates to a quad, with two students to a room. These dorms boast a shared kitchen and living area, with two bathrooms per quad.  

As for South Tower — a female-only dorm — two students share a room and have access to communal bathrooms on the hall.  

East Campus is home to apartment style dorms, connected to main campus with the Runk & Pratt parking garage tunnel and a bridge near the Liberty bookstore. Each apartment has a full kitchen for students to cook their own meals and three bedrooms that house two to three students per room. There is also a living room with a table, chairs and couches for residents to congregate.  

Liberty offers incredible campus living options that allow all students to grow in their faith by creating areas for fellowshipping with one another. But for freshman students, the most central and affordable option to all parts of campus is the Hill. 

The Hill is directly in the middle of campus and gives students easy access to the academic buildings and popular spots like the bookstore, Williams Stadium and the LaHaye Ice Center. The Hill is also cheaper than most living arrangements per semester, saving students money in living expenses.  

Also, having two roommates at the Hill may make a new college experience feel less lonely and allow students to create a larger friend group.  

After all, author Jessica Park said, “The friends you make in college are friends you’ll have for life, even if you don’t talk for years at a time.” 

The Hill, in my opinion, is a fantastic choice for freshman who are looking for the best of all worlds on campus; but students here will thrive anywhere if they are looking to grow their faith with the amazing community Liberty has created for them. 

For more information about dorms and residence life at Liberty University, visit the Residence Life Website. 

Sanford is an opinion reporter for the Liberty Champion.