vertpomme

We don't offer fridge rentals at Otterbein. But if you do need to pick up any last minute school supplies, there is a bed, bath, and beyond 10 minutes from campus at Polaris. And last year they offered this really cool deal where you could order everything you need for school online, then pick it up at the store closest to your college, which worked really well for out of state students. They didn't have to try and pack the car for that long of a trip, but picked up everything when they got here.

Hope this helps!

NanE

I think D has it narrowed down to 3: DK, Mayne and Clemments. Do any of the Otterbein kids have a preference and why. If you had to do it all over again, would you live in the same dorm you are in now and why or why not. TIA

MTaussie

Hi NanaE,
My S is in the process now of selecting a dorm for next year. This year he is in Mayne. He is very happy there and has put it #2 on his list. Mayne has an awesome location and has been recently renovated. His 1st choice is The Suites - a sophomores-only dorm that opened this year. The girls I know are very happy at Clements. We toured it on an early visit to OC and it is very nice and quite similar is size and set-up to Mayne. S has friends at DK. It is popular with theater kids as it is just down the path from Batelle where they have many classes. From what I understand DK is older and many say it could use a "freshening up". S also told me recently that quite a few of his classmates are trying to get into the new Theater House. I'm afraid I don't know anything about it. Perhaps Dr. John could chime in?

NanE

I'll pass the info on to D! We are going to sit down this weekend and fill out all the paperwork and get it sent off. Now that the spring play is almost over she can FINALLY start focusing on her next big adventure and is getting excited to choose a dorm etc!

NanE

D just sat down to fill out her housing contract and I don't see anywhere on there where you can list first, second or third choice for a dorm. I just assumed because my oldest D was able to choose at her school, you would be able to do the same at Otterbein. I guess it's just a random draw?

mezzomom

NanE, if the request to select your top three choices isn't there, it's a new wrinkle this year. Last year, I seem to recall it was a the top of a later page...why I remember these obscure details is beyond me! If you can't find a request for a preference listing, I'd give the housing folks a call on Monday.

NanE

We checked the online form and it's the same as the one we received in the mail so maybe the kids don't get a choice this year. I think I will call Monday anyway, just in case it is a mistake.

2BRN2B

It was the same for my daughter too. We thought it was strange but then we just assumed that if you didn’t get into your choice they just assigned you. Let me know what you find out because she definitely had a second and third choice. Giving more options sure sounds like a better plan than only offering one.

NanE

I called the office of Student Affairs (handles housing) and they told me there is not a place for them to write their choices unless they are requesting speical options such as Arts Appreciation, Honors, Healthy Lifestyles etc. BUT, she did tell me it is all very informal and if my D would like to, she could just write in her choices somewhere on the sheet.

2BRN2B

D got her registration packet in the mail yesterday and is trying to understand everything. I think we will do the Sept orientation. Does anyone know if this is a bad idea? She has a busy summer and it would work the best but some have told her to go earlier and she might meet someone she would want to room with. By Sept., it is too late. And, does anyone know if getting classes is harder in Sept.?
THANKS

abparent

2B

We live in NJ and our son was doing a summer show last year, so it only made sense to do the September orientation. That's what we did and it worked out fine. Our son had no problem getting the appropriate classes. It might be good to check ahead on the books needed for some of the non MT courses so you can get them ahead of time, just one less thing to do. But, our son had no problem with any of the planning, courses, books, etc. On the roommate issue, I don't know that it would make any difference. We were told last year that typically they deliberately don't put freshman MT kids together - I guess to help broaden their horizons. If your daughter has someone in mind who's not a freshman, I guess that could be different, but orientation time wouldn't make the difference there. In September we still had the opportunity to meet a lot of parents, the kids get to know each other, we got comfortable with the town and restaurants, and it worked out very well. The faculty seem very open to email during the summer if your daughter has any specific questions. Maybe one of the Otterbein kids here on CC could also help out (Linus?) Good luck and enjoy your summer!

mezzomom

2B, what abparent said... The only issue my daughter had with September orientation was not knowing for sure that she would get into all of her courses (patience isn't her strong suit!) She did get all of her courses and found that there was enough information on CardinalWeb about how many openings were left in each course that a lot of her self-generated anxiety was alleviated.

As far as roommates, my daughter was willing to let the chips fall where they may. She said it's pretty amazing how well things worked out for just about everyone she knows, but she credits a lot of that to the "contract" that roomies are expected to work out with one another right at the beginning of the year. The contract is basically a checklist of questions that the roommates discuss together, and it helps the students to anticipate any issues that might arise and work out, in advance, the expectations they have for one another.

melopoly

My freshman year at Otterbein I lived in Garst Hall, a tiny bunker-like dorm that is part of what they call the 'triad'. I think it is unarguably the WORST dorm on campus and I'm pretty sure they plan on tearing it down in the next few years. My second year at Otterbein, I lived in the sophomore suites which in contrast is the BEST dorm on campus. The rooms are incredibly spacious with air conditioning, redwood furniture and cabinetry, a personal bathroom shared between two rooms, not to mention the fact it's brand spanking new (opened fall of 06).

I'm writing this reply because I actually liked living in the crappy dorm better than the nice one. The fact is, where you live on campus doesn't matter; it's WHO you live with. Trying to get the newer or nicer room may not be the best move in the long run. I ended up moving out of the suites after just a quarter. I suggest leaving it to fate. I never would have picked Garst to live in freshman year had I been given a choice, but I met so many great people there, the moldy showers and stinky hallways really didn't matter.

I'd also like to add that I get the impression these threads are made up of a bunch of overprotective moms. I find that extremely odd and a little disturbing. How old are your "Ds"? Aren't they old enough to be seeking answers on their own? Perhaps it's time to cut the umbilical cord.

NanE

It's often hard to discern a person's tone when reading posts on the internet. I hope you didn't intend your words to be as harsh as I interpreted them. You don't know anything about my D or me or for that matter, any of these parents and therefore it is unfair and unkind of you to assume we are overprotective and that our children are not capable of taking care of these matters themselves.
You don't say if you are a theatre major yourself. If you are, you should know and understand how much these kids have on their plates. Most of these kids are participating in spring plays, end of the year concerts, dance recitals, etc, etc in addition to the the everyday stuff that most seniors are juggling, ie: AP exams, Prom, finals, work and graduation. Some of these kids won't even get to attend their HS graduation because they are leaving shortly for Summerstock for most of the summer. It's ok if we want to help them out with some of the legwork and offer guidance and suggestions, ultimately, the decisions are their's to make. My D for one, appreciates my advice, even though she may not always take it.
In addition, these are our children. We have loved them and nurtured them and offered our guidance for the past 18 years. It's OK if we want to help them out with such a major change in their lives. Please don't confuse the interest we take in our children as an inability to cut the umbilical cord.
Finally, I have found this board a great way to connect with other parents and current students who share my enthusiasm for the adventure we are about to embark on.
If I have misinterpreted your post please forgive me! I hope you have a great finish to your school year and good luck on your finals!

melopoly

I accessed this thread through the Otterbein search and didn't realize it was predominantly MT people. My last comment was intended to be a little biting, but don't take it too much to heart. I understand why you'd want to help your kids out and it's lovely; the only reason I'm calloused is because I had to do everything on my own.