Keene State students: it’s time to figure out where to live on campus next year.
Housing selections were recently made during the annual housing selection event.
Rising sophomores and other upperclassmen students were given two different housing selection event times.
The first event was held on Friday, Feb. 24 for students to select by the suite or the room, said Casey Justice, director of transitions and community living.
The second event, held on Friday, March 3, was for students to select by the bed, Justice said.
First-year Jack Keenan said he received an early time for the selection event, but did not see the emails in time. However, he was able to receive help from Brandon Carta, Interfraternity Council advisor and student center programs coordinator, to set up a sixperson suite for him and his fellow fraternity members.
Keenan noted that he was able to get into his preferred dorm building both times he participated in housing selections events.
“Whoever had the earliest time went in, we all grouped up and we signed up as soon as it was open,” he said.
However, Keenan said he wished there was more of a selection of dorm buildings to choose from within his housing selection event.
Sophomore Sophie Yellen said she felt the selection process went fine and she had no trouble getting into the dorm building she wanted.
“I think it’s good, I don’t think of anything that can be improved,” Yellen said about the housing selection process.
Students that live off campus had some thoughts to share on the process, as well.
Senior Andrew Cropper said he remembers the process to be rather simple, but always wanted to live off campus eventually.
“It was simple because we had a plan ahead of time,” Cropper said.
Cropper said there were some differences between living on campus and living off campus.
There is “more of a community, you make friends easier on campus,” Cropper said.
Additionally, students are more involved with the Keene community rather than the college, Cropper said.
Junior Tobias Scott said besides being cheaper for students, there were some downsides to living off campus.
“If we were doing something on campus and nobody is going back to the house, I have to walk like 15 minutes to get back,” Scott said.
Junior Trinity Young said during the previous years of her college career she did not have any problems getting into the dorms she wanted.
“I knew who my roommates were well in advance and we were able to decide what room we wanted instantly and we had a couple backup options,” Young said.
Young noted she wanted to select a quieter dorm, so that might have made it easier.
She said she recalls Butler Court filling up pretty quickly and that being a slight problem amongst her friends.
However, students should note that in order to live off campus, they need to have at least 60 credits or more in order to do so, Justice said.
If students are close to having 60 credits, Justice said they can take a summer course to make that minimum requirement.
If a student meets the minimum requirement of 60 credits, then no further action is needed, Justice said.
Regarding the housing selection process, students should always go in with multiple backup plans, Justice said.
“If you don’t get the top thing you want, figure out how to break down into smaller groups,” said Justice.
Students are able to enter into a waitlist for the dorm room/building they want by emailing communityliving@keene.edu.
“Anything can happen between now and the start of the fall,” Justice said.
Tim Bruns can be contacted at
tbruns@kscequinox.com
