<p>Hi, my S is a nerd and proud of it. Nothing makes him happier than learning new things. Not into partying (yet) but likes being around others, discussing the things nerds love to discuss (math, science, politics, video games). </p>
<p>He really needs his sleep or he’s a bear. So, any ideas on where he might live happily as a freshman at UT next year? </p>
<p>He’s also very frugal. He wants to live on campus, if possible, and probably will NOT take a car since he sees that as an unnecessary expense. He has no problem with cafeteria food.</p>
<p>My son found Jester to be overwhelming. Noisy all the time. He moved into Brackenridge this semester and likes it much better.</p>
<p>Will he have a roommate? That’s the wild card. My son’s roommate stayed up half the night, every night, playing video games loudly and leaving the light on. DS was not getting enough sleep, and it was a big problem. He told his roommate that, but it didn’t make a difference. And this kid was an engineering major! So we paid extra to get him a single room, and he likes it a lot.</p>
<p>My S also a proud nerd (engineering major and in Longhorn band). He lived in a Jester community bath-type room his first year and is in a Jester suite-type room this year. He’s not a partyer, but is VERY social. He loves living in the hub of activity. There is ALWAYS another person from most of his classes in the computer lab or study lobby 24/7 in Jester. It made finding a study group very easy. There are also organized study/tutoring times in Jester (and Kinsolving) that he used a few times. He likes the food in Jester, especially since he is not limited to the cafeteria. He’s mentioned that even friends who live in other dorms tend to spend a lot of time in Jester. The rooms are small, but he really only uses his room to sleep and store his stuff. Although the public areas of Jester are lively, he says that he doesn’t hear noise in his room. </p>
<p>If your son is concerned about making friends, have him attend Camp Texas. My S still gets together with his CT friends over a year later.</p>
<p>If your son is REALLY frugal, he may want to move off campus after his 1st year. Even the cheapest rooms on campus cost more than all but the most expensive apartments. My S will live off-campus the next 2 years.</p>
<p><strong><em>Cross-posted</em></strong></p>
<p>S lived with a friend his 1st yr and another Soph in a suite connected to the RA this year, so his room was/is calm. Going pot-luck can be risky if your S needs quiet time at home.</p>
<p>eaglemom, the honors quad sounds like the best bet for your S, but if he isn’t in an honors program you might have him check out Whitis. Our D lived there last year and was pleased with that aspect of dorm life (the nerd thing) although roommates are always hit or miss. </p>
<p>What she didn’t care for was the small room size, lack of sink, and inability to control temperature (she said the issue of some rooms being unbearably hot and others being too cold was addressed in many of the hall meetings.)</p>
<p>She is in Duren this year and, while it offers more of the creature comforts than Whitis or honors, she misses the social aspect.</p>
<p>I think Whitis requires a separate application, as it is a living-learning type community.</p>
<p>And, she’s in her fourth semester without a car. Takes the bus to her internship two days a week, but we’ve promised her a car next fall.</p>
<p>Nerd here. I live in Jester, and hate it. Of course, it’s a huge dorm with tons of different people, so I’m sure he’d eventually find some fellow nerds if he somehow ended up stuck here. ;)</p>
<p>I’d advise going the Honors Dorm route, though. San Jacinto and Duren are known for being quieter, but they’re also pretty pricey.</p>
<p>Oh the honors quad…on the Plan II tour, they told parents to think twice about it. Too many smart kids, with too much time on their hands was not always productive. lol.</p>
<p>It doesnt matter. Just spend most of your time around campus in the library/student activity centers. I would pick the cheapest dorm and use the campus resources to be in a “quiet” or “nerd friendly” place since you are paying for it with tuition.</p>
<p>The honors quad is WONDERFUL. I’m very social and love to go out/party but I’m a “nerd” at heart…and i LOVE living here. It’s always quiet, the people are great, and there’s always studying going on. Honestly, I think part of the reason why my GPA is so high right now is because I’ll walk downstairs in the quad and see everyone studying…and just feel like that’s what I should be doing too. It’s motivating.</p>