Neighborhood wars

Residence halls: which neighborhood is the best?

The University has 12 residence halls that house almost all freshmen and many upperclassmen. Split into three neighborhoods, Northwest, Central and Southeast, each area has its own style and personality to bring to the table. Let’s take a look at the many housing options on and off campus.

Northwest
The Northwest neighborhood is the most popular choice of the neighborhoods and has a long history of being the most social.

Closest to the athletic facilities and the greek houses on the extension, Northwest is easily one of the best places to find a party or a good time for on-campus students.
However, too many distractions can harm its appeal. Constant festivities can affect study habits, and constant noise can attract rowdy visitors, resident assistants and the IUPD.

Its location can also be a hassle, as it is completely disengaged from the academic buildings along Third Street.
However, Northwest is going to be tough to beat with its social atmosphere.

PROS Social scene, proximity to athletic events
CONS Safety, noise

Central
The next contender is Central neighborhood, the largest with five residence halls.
Central’s greatest punch is its variety of options. Ashton Center has seclusion, Wright Quad and Teter Quad have social atmospheres and Eigenmann and Union Street Center offer some of the newest facilities, including gyms.

Couple this with its access to other food options along 10th Street as well as residence hall eateries, and Central neighborhood is a tough foe.

But what is strength for the neighborhood is also a weakness.

Central’s variety can be a hindrance, especially to freshmen. Random selection determines housing, so a social butterfly can land in Ashton Center, while a more independent student can find a home in Teter Quad.

Price is also a concern, as a student can be placed in a cheap Wright double or an expensive Eigenmann Center double.

A good experience in Central is truly the luck of the draw.

PROS Variety, food options
CONS Potential for a bad match, possibly high price

Southeast
Our third fighter hails from Southeast. This neighborhood's easiest asset is its location, as it is the closest to most of the academic buildings in the heart of campus.
Out of the six main bus lines that serve students, four of them stop somewhere near the three centers.

Southeast also has the most green, unoccupied space, so it is the most scenic of the three neighborhoods.

It is also closest to the Jacobs School of Music, and many performing arts students find their home in Southeast.

Access to famed Bloomington restaurants such as Mother Bear’s and Dragon Express, as well as music stores, make this neighborhood the superior combatant in real estate: location, location, location.

A handicap against Southeast is that it is severely limited. Willkie Quad is only available to upperclassmen, leaving only Read Center and Forest Quad, which differ greatly from each other. Read has three eateries and large open spaces for community-building, while Forest has no food options and is comprised of two 10-story high rises.

Each of the three centers also has its own identity, making each hall stand on its own island at times though they are only a stone’s throw away from each other.

PROS Location, green space
CONS Limited availability, spread-out amenities

VERDICT: After weighing the pros and cons, there's no clear-cut winner, as students cannot go wrong with any of the neighborhoods. The great thing about the residence halls is that each student can choose where he or she wants to live.

Residence halls vs. greek houses: battle of the on-campus options
Two Goliaths step into the ring. This should a tough and exciting contest.

The pros and cons of the residence halls were broken down in the previous section, but a quick cheat sheet can be made for this fight. Location is easiest to see, as most of the residence halls are closer to the academic buildings. Residence hall life also is widely encompassing and caters to all students, and the greek system is more of a niche.

A downfall is that students are more restricted and more monitored in the halls. Also, the price of room and board, along with a required meal plan for underclassmen, can make a bursar bill pretty hefty.

Joining a fraternity or sorority can be a pleasant and one-of-a-kind experience that cannot be found anywhere else. The community is tightly knit, and students share a common history with their brothers and sisters.

Going greek can also be a way to serve the community, as greek houses participate in community service and philanthropic events, including IU Dance Marathon, IU Sing and Big Man on Campus.

The downside is that greek life is exclusive. Potential members have to apply through rush, and greek life may not be for everyone.

It is also harder for greek houses to shed the party stigma.

Location is also key, as depending on where a house is, a student might deal with a long bus ride or a nearly unbearable walk.

VERDICT: Push. This bout comes down to a deadlock. The final decision is rested upon the individual, as each on campus option offers its own unique experience.

On-campus vs. off-campus housing: Battle Royale
The final match on the fight card is the always warring on-campus options and off-campus apartments and houses.

After freshman year, students are faced with the dilemma of where to live in following years, so this bout is always tough. On campus, there is the combined pairing of the residence halls and greek houses, and location is the key asset. Food is also less worrisome, as both have prepared meals readily available to them with meal plans and in-house chefs.

On-campus options also have stronger communities, as their residents are closer together and able to interact easily.

However, campus options are susceptible to restriction — the University holds a higher standard and watchful eye over residence halls and greek houses. The good thing about this monitoring system is that IU is served by its own police force and has designated ambulatory and safety services.

The off-campus housing options’ best punch can be summed up in one word: freedom. Students living off campus have immense freedom in all facets of college life. They can live in various arrangements in numerous locations, eat wherever they want and have the benefit of leaving campus completely when they finish class for the day.

But, with this freedom comes a tremendous amount of responsibility. Rent, food, utilities, trash, transportation, room damages, roommate problems — the list goes on.

Sure, it is possible to find an apartment for dirt cheap, but the amenities are not the same as on-campus housing, and the distance to travel to campus can be a hassle if the student doesn't have a car.

VERDICT: If it hasn’t been said enough, location is important to the college experience. While off-campus has variety and an incredible amount of freedom, it just can’t beat the colossal force of the accessibility factors that help on-campus housing.
The good thing about both options is that anybody can choose which suits them better, so there is no need to be pigeonholed.