It's Housing Selection Time!...and a Senior needs some advice...

collegegirl86 · 03-23-2008, 10:29 AM

The Story:
I'm a senior who's spending an extra semester at Barnard. I'm going though housing selection for the very last time and (pending that I get a great housing selection time this Wednesday) I would like to live somewhere really nice. I can really only live in the 110th Studios, The Tower, or in Elliott Hall (which I lived in as a first-year transfer student at Barnard...). I could technically also live in Hewitt, but my strategy is to avoid the meal plan like the plague...

My current suitemates and I paid a random visit to 601 W. 110th Street about two weeks ago and had a chat with some current residents who were gracious enough to let us see their apartments. One girl living in an LL apartment told us that 110th had a little problem with bugs. She pointed out that she had to have her dad come in and fill cracks in the walls where bugs could apparantly come in. To top it all off, a row of roach traps greeted us at her door, and she explained that she uses them to keep the bugs out.

Needless to say, I am concerned. The prospect of living in a 110th studio seems very appealing, especially since I will be student teaching and would be able to live a more independent life. However, the prospect of having to deal with bugs all the time does not appeal to me.

The Question:
However, I don't want to judge the entire building on the experience of one person (and she did live right across from the garbage cans...). Is there anyone here who has experience (or a parent whose daughter / daughter's friends have experience...) living in 110th (even if it's not a studio) and would be willing to share their experience with me (not just about bugs...about everything...)?

Also, I would love to hear about any experience anyone has living in the Tower, as I don't have any friends who live / have lived there. Although I'm not fond of the idea of living in Hewitt because of the meal plan requirement, I welcome any information about what it's like to live there as well.

Any information is greatly appreciated!

mythmom · 03-23-2008, 11:00 AM

D lived in 110 last year and they had mice! Since the building isn't owned by Barnard all res life can do is to appeal to the landlord. They eventually got rid of the mice, and I think she enjoyed it.

She lived in Hewitt first semester this year and is in London now.

She's going for the tower for next year.

collegegirl86 · 03-23-2008, 03:22 PM

Thanks for your response, mythmom!

To know that your daughter had a problem with mice really scares me. Even if I hate bugs, they are easier to kill / deal with. But mice? My suitemates in Plimpton have seen mice late at night before, but I have never seen one up close and am not sure what I would do if I did...

If you don't mind me asking, what did she do to take care of the problem? The fact that Barnard doesn't own the building also concerns me, as it leaves me wondering if I can call facilites to come and exterminate, or even if extermination will do anything to help the problem.

I'm starting to think that a room in Sulz sounds much nicer...

mythmom · 03-23-2008, 04:09 PM

Hi I'm mythmom's daughter. She asked me to respond so I could answer your question more specifically. For one thing we did have mice but it was because we were on the 2nd floor and there was construction under us (not all suites had this problem). The building paid for mousetraps and the super would come to get the dead ones. I think there was something about an exterminator but I can't quite remembered what happened with it. I really liked living at 110. It gave us a much more independent experience and the suites feel more like apartments. Also I had friends living in Plimpton this year and I feel the suites are much nicer at 110.

Hope this was helpful

mardad · 03-23-2008, 05:22 PM

Thanks Mythmom and CG86. D1 is a rising senior this year but is in Cairo and her sister will have to be her proxy. D1 was thinking that 110 was good. I would second that but I have no experience or knowledge. Sulz tower also looks good.
Irrespective of where you live keeping food in sealable containers and keeping the apartment clean will discourage insects and rodents. There is nothing for them to eat if the place is clean. My favorite college vermin story was about Hamilton Jordan, Jimmy Carter's right hand man. Hamilton was kicked out of his college housing because of a spitball fight and spent a year living in his car. His housekeeping was terrible with uneaten food just thrown on the floor. He had the only car at his university that had mice. If there is food available the mice will move in.

collegegirl86 · 03-25-2008, 10:31 PM

Thanks mythmom's daughter! I'm glad to know your "mouse problem" was not without reason. I am especially relieved to hear that, despite the problem, you had an enjoyable experience there. I've been back and forth about it a million times, and it seems that, despite some mouse and bug problems, people really do like living there - and that makes me feel better going into housing selection. Thanks again, and I hope housing selection goes well for you.

Mardad, thanks for the advice about the sealable containers (I usually keep everything in the orginal box...) and the great story. I hope your daughter gets the apartment or the room she wants for next year!