<p>I lived in DK for a year (its first year, actually!) and in Parrish for two years, as a freshman and a senior. </p>
<p>DK is a nice, run-of-the-mill on-campus dorm; it doesn't really have a prevailing culture or "feel" like Willets, Parrish, ML, Dana, perhaps because it's relatively new. I loved my year there. For what it's worth, I think that smaller halls of freshmen (only 6 other frosh? I'm guessing you're on first floor) can sometimes bond better than bigger halls. But having fewer folks on the hall can also encourage inter-hall interaction, which is good! Don't be afraid to visit the other floors, and to get to know folks in other dorms that you meet through classes and activities. You'll have a great year. </p>
<p>Parrish has an unusual character and feel, with little variation from year to year. It's worth noting that I was on third floor both years, where this character is somewhat stronger. Parrish is populated almost exclusively by freshmen and seniors (and occasional juniors, especially on the men's side and on the fourth floor). The upperclassmen are there because it's centrally located and ostensibly quiet; there may be a few small groups that know each other and are quietly sociable, but the hall life is generally not vibrant. However, depending on the group of freshmen that are placed there, Parrish can be a rockin' good time. My freshman year, our cohort was super-friendly, and we had a lot of great hall bonding. We still went to parties, hung out with the guys from the other side, etc. My senior year, our freshmen were a lot quieter, but they still seemed to have a good time. I loved my time in Parrish!</p>