Center Complex

[Source: ASU.edu/housing]

Compared to the other dorm areas, Center Complex is very different. Center Complex is home to the following dorm buildings: Best Hall, Irish Hall, and Hayden Hall. The majority of the residents in these dorm buildings are people who are part of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. The dorms are pretty old with an exception of Hayden East, Hayden West, and Best C. Since they are pretty old, they are also pretty small and the biggest turn off for most people is that there are no bathrooms in the rooms; every floor has to share two bathrooms. Some people really dread this because sharing a bathroom with 40-60 people isn’t exactly the ideal living situation. However, even though many complain about this, there are also people who like the fact that they do not have to clean their own bathrooms because the maintenance crew does that for the residents. Aside from the perk of not having to clean you own bathroom, people often say that there is a really great sense of community amongst the residence. People who live here end up forming big groups of friends and they hang out in the hallways or in the lounges.There is a volleyball pit where people always play volleyball together, there is a ping pong table, and there is even a dance studio for people majoring in dance. Since this complex is technically a conglomerate of various dorm buildings, there is more to do in the vicinity of the complex. Another bonus of living at center complex is that it is close to everything important and there are bus stations and shuttle posts close to the dorms. In addition to these positive traits, Gammage Theatre is right across from these dorms which makes it easy to see a play or a musical. With all these in mind, if you do not mind the fact that you have to share a bathroom with a floor, but want to live in a convenient spot where there is a great sense of community, then Center Complex may be the best option for you.

McClintock

[Source: ASU.edu/housing]

Unlike San Pablo and Hassayampa, McClintock is not new; in fact, it is one of the oldest dorms on the ASU campus. Once you walk into the complex, you can tell that it has been a long time since it was built and you get the same feeling once you walk into the rooms. The outside of the building is just a bare tan color and the walls are covered in windows. The courtyard in the middle of McClintock is very nice and has a ton of grass to play sports in and even a sand volleyball pit for when you want to toss around a ball. McClintock's courtyard is great because students can go there at any time of the day and play basically any sport they please. There is also a common area similar to the lounges in San Pablo and Hassayampa but there is only one and it is much larger. Once you get into the rooms, you realize that they have plain walls, but many people put posters and decals on their walls to brighten them up. If you are one of the lucky McClintock residents on the eastern side of the complex, you get not only a bedroom, but also separate living area. The living area is big enough to put a couch in and it also serves as a study room and this makes the dorms feel like an apartment. However, the other sides of the building do not have separate living areas. I hear people complain about how old the dorms are but one positive thing that many of the McClintock residents say is that there is a good sense of community because you get the chance to see everybody wandering about. Another benefit of McClintock hall is its location on campus. It is straight across from Hayden library, close to the Memorial Union, and in the middle of the south and north parts of the campus. If you do not mind that the rooms are older, then McClintock might be the place for you. 

Hassayampa Academic Village

[Source: ASU.edu/housing]

Hassayampa Academic Village is one of the newest dorms on campus and it is apparent through its overall appearance. The exterior of this dorm complex is very modern and almost resembles the outside of a museum. The actual buildings are very tall compared to some of the other dorm buildings and the complex is comprised of eight section halls: Acacia, Acourtia, Arroyo, Chuparosa, Jojoba, Mesquite, Mohave, and Verbena. Hassayampa is located in the southern most part of campus and it is located near the Student Recreation Center and field. This allows for the residents of Hassayampa to easily access and go to the gym at practically any time of day. This is huge advantage for Hassayampa's residents because it allows them to work out daily and we all need exercise when trying to keep the "freshman fifteen" off. The rooms for Hassayampa are indoor which allows people to leave their doors open unlike those who live in San Pablo or Mcklintock. This is seen as a positive trait about Hassayampa because people who live here seem to make a lot of friends on their floor. Hassayampa also has lounges like San Pablo, but they are much large and have vaulted ceilings whereas San Pablo’s lounges have regular sized rooms. The lounges in Hassayampa also have couches, cooking stations, flat screen televisions, and even automatic shades that go up or down with the push of a button. Hassayampa is home to students who come from various colleges. Hassayampa is home to students from the following colleges: Mary Lou Foulton Teacher’s college, W.P. Carey School of Business, University College, and even the College of Liberal Arts. Many students that I have spoken to say that Hassayampa is also a great living environment because many activities take place in or near the complex. 

San Pablo

[Source: Alan Milo]

San Pablo is one of the newest dorms on the ASU campus and it is located in the North part of campus. The exterior of the building is made of a dark stucco material and the building structure itself has two wings: the west wing and the east wing. The latter is the bigger wing of the complex but although it is the bigger side, the west wing has a less cluttered courtyard. The building has three floor levels and each level is accessible by an elevator. Unlike other dorm buildings, the dorm rooms are not indoor so there are no hallways instead there are balcony style walkways on each floor. The one complaint that people usually have about San Pablo is the lack of community and camaraderie. Since the dorm rooms are not indoors, people usually do not leave their doors open because it is either too hot or too cold outside. In contrast, while some do not like the seclusion, others find it as a positive characteristic because the dorm complex is more peaceful and private.
However, people still find ways to hang out and meet people and one of those ways is to congregate in the floor lounges. Each lounge is available to everyone and in the lounges there are large flat screen televisions mounted on the walls, comfortable chairs with desks, and even a common cooking area with a fridge, stove, and oven. Additionally, they provide us with a toaster in the lounge since we are not allowed to have toasters or anything hazardous in the rooms. People usually go into the lounges to work on homework or to just watch a specific television show. Many people say that the rooms are very cozy and more livable than other dorms because they feel like actual bedrooms. Unlike Hassayampa, San Pablo has regular beds that are adjustable. Plenty of people say that San Pablo is a great place to live and the various amenities and overall appearance makes it the ideal living environment for some students. 

Dorms at ASU

One of the biggest aspects of the whole college experience is being able to live on the campus dorms. Many freshman choose to live on campus because it is the most logical and convenient choice. Some out of state students have no other choice but to live on campus because flying back and forth everyday for your classes is practically impossible. In addition to out of state students who live in the dorms, there are also many students who live in Arizona who could choose to live at home, but pick the other option in order to take advantage of everything that college has to offer. Each dorm complex has its good and bad traits and each person will react differently to each living environment. There are some people who love living or hanging out in the Hassayampa Academic Village dorms, and some dislike living there because they feel as if there is no privacy because all the rooms are in close proximity and sometimes people run around the halls in the late hours of the night. So while there are many living options for college students, on campus dorm life is ideal because it is convenient, the dorms are nice living areas, and you get the chance to make more friends when you live in the dorms. 

San Pablo is where people who are a part of the College Of Liberal Arts and Sciences live. Usually people who live here major in Biology. These dorms are relatively new and have a fairly simple exterior. The rooms are also very nice and have a very comfortable feel to them. Most people like living here because there is a sense of privacy and that is something that you usually cannot get in some other dorms. "Privacy is something that is hard to come by in dormitories and many find it very hard to sleep in them because people sometimes have conflicting schedules and engage in different activities at different times" (Cochrane 67). Fortunately, San Pablo takes care of that problem because most people keep their doors closed because of the fact that the dorms have an outdoor hallway.

            Hassayampa is called by many as the best dorms on campus. They are new, they are spacious, they are very modern-looking, and people just seem to love these dorms. Similarly to San Pablo, Hassayampa is a suite-style dorm where there are two roommates per room and four neighbors that share a bathroom located in the middle. "Some new dorms are boasting apartment-style living with semiprivate bathrooms and kitchens" (Cohen 2). Hassayampa is located on the southern most part of campus. It is also very close to the Student Recreation Center – which is convenient when you find the urge to work out. It also has its very own tutoring center, dining hall, and mini market. "People look for certain characteristics in dorm rooms and usually enjoy living in places that have a variety of amenities" (Cochrane 75). In addition to having many amenities, people claim that it is very easy to make friends at Hassayampa because everybody leaves their doors open and it gives everyone an opportunity to socialize. 

            In contrast to the new dorms, Mcklintock is the oldest dorms on campus. While it may not be the newest and hippest dorm complex on campus, some people still find Mcklintock a very nice place to live. The building is structured in the form of a square and in the middle of the dorm complex, is a huge grass courtyard where people like to play football or soccer. In addition to the grass courtyard, there is a sand volleyball pit. The rooms in McClintock are somewhat old and have plain boring walls that may turn some people off. However, if you are lucky you would get a room that is on the eastern part of the complex and those rooms have an attached living room space in addition to the actual bedrooms. It is not quite an apartment, but it gives two different rooms for sleeping and for hanging out. Like San Pablo and Hassayampa,  Mcklintock is a suite-style dorm. "While dorm rooms are usually not very spacious, they provide a space for a college student to thrive in. Students who live in dorms find study groups where group communication is applied and students also get the chance to socialize and make friends with those who live in the vicinity" (Shaw 2). 

            In comparison with the previous three mentioned dorms, Center complex is not a suite-style dorm site. Instead each room has two roommates and four people do not share a center bathroom. People who live in Center Complex actually have community style bathrooms which means that a whole floor of about 40-60 people share a single bathroom. While this is an absolute turn off for a few people, some people like the community bathrooms because people clean the bathrooms for the residents. In addition to not having to clean your own bathroom, Students who reside in Center Complex claim that there is an amazing sense of community among the residents within the complex. "While dorm rooms may still be smaller than the average bedroom that kids are used to, people find ways of making dorm life bearable, and one of those ways is making new friends and making the best of the space you are given" (Arrington 5).

            In conclusion, there are many living options on the Arizona State University campus and each has its own set of pros and cons. Some dorms are bigger than others and some are newer, but the dorms at the Arizona State University (Tempe) campus are very nice and offer students with a great place to live.