Best Dorm?

[ISUinOR]

My oldest son is planning on Aerospace Engineering this Fall as a freshman. I read through this thread and love the insight.

I'm a '93 ISU grad. Never lived in dorms as I did JUCO for a couple years before ISU. Got some semi dorm-life experience staying/partying with friends when visiting ISU in high school and while at JUCO - MWL and Towers mainly. I dated a girl who lived in Helser, so spent a bit of time there.

As an AE major, I'm thinking Helser or Friley would be best for him. I heard they did renovations on Helser recently. Anyone know how that turned out?

I missed out on the traditional dorm experience and really think the old-school dorm life for at least a couple years would be a great experience for him. If you had to rank the dorms, what would be your top 3?

 

[AlaCyclone]

I lived in and loved Buchanan Hall. I still have friends from all over the world that I met there.

 

[Cyclone27inQC]

I stayed in Wilson tower my 4 years and loved it. That’s was back in the 70’s and I believe it’s still standing.... I hope.

 

[BCClone]

Oak/elm

 

[kcbob79clone]

My oldest son is planning on Aerospace Engineering this Fall as a freshman. I read through this thread and love the insight.

I'm a '93 ISU grad. Never lived in dorms as I did JUCO for a couple years before ISU. Got some semi dorm-life experience staying/partying with friends when visiting ISU in high school and while at JUCO - MWL and Towers mainly. I dated a girl who lived in Helser, so spent a bit of time there.

As an AE major, I'm thinking Helser or Friley would be best for him. I heard they did renovations on Helser recently. Anyone know how that turned out?

I missed out on the traditional dorm experience and really think the old-school dorm life for at least a couple years would be a great experience for him. If you had to rank the dorms, what would be your top 3?

Definitely Fridley cause Helser sucks!

 

[JSmoove]

Chalk up a vote for Helser. It was the shittyness that brought us together.

I would be interested to hear about these renovations.

 

[Macloney]

I stayed in Wilson tower my 4 years and loved it. That’s was back in the 70’s and I believe it’s still standing.... I hope.

I stayed on the 7th floor of Wilson until we got kicked out for shooting a bottle rocket down at a Domino's driver.

Tower floors are all co-ed now. That could be a motivating factor.

 

[alarson]

Chalk up a vote for Helser. It was the shittyness that brought us together.

I would be interested to hear about these renovations.

Helser Hall is getting a summer makeover • Inside Iowa State for faculty and staff • Iowa State University

www.inside.iastate.edu

 

[cyfan92]

My oldest son is planning on Aerospace Engineering this Fall as a freshman. I read through this thread and love the insight.

I'm a '93 ISU grad. Never lived in dorms as I did JUCO for a couple years before ISU. Got some semi dorm-life experience staying/partying with friends when visiting ISU in high school and while at JUCO - MWL and Towers mainly. I dated a girl who lived in Helser, so spent a bit of time there.

As an AE major, I'm thinking Helser or Friley would be best for him. I heard they did renovations on Helser recently. Anyone know how that turned out?

I missed out on the traditional dorm experience and really think the old-school dorm life for at least a couple years would be a great experience for him. If you had to rank the dorms, what would be your top 3?

'15 grad here. Helser is the worst but it was home. I'd say friley first

 

[jsb]

My oldest son is planning on Aerospace Engineering this Fall as a freshman. I read through this thread and love the insight.

I'm a '93 ISU grad. Never lived in dorms as I did JUCO for a couple years before ISU. Got some semi dorm-life experience staying/partying with friends when visiting ISU in high school and while at JUCO - MWL and Towers mainly. I dated a girl who lived in Helser, so spent a bit of time there.

As an AE major, I'm thinking Helser or Friley would be best for him. I heard they did renovations on Helser recently. Anyone know how that turned out?

I missed out on the traditional dorm experience and really think the old-school dorm life for at least a couple years would be a great experience for him. If you had to rank the dorms, what would be your top 3?

I lived in a non-air conditioned section of Friley from 1997-2000 and I loved it. And I walked up hill and barefoot in a blizzard to my classes unlike the pampered people with suites and airconditioning, and lofts not built by the roommate's dad, and carpet that they didn't have to order through some overpriced dorm catalog.

 

[MeanDean]

I stayed in Wilson tower my 4 years and loved it. That’s was back in the 70’s and I believe it’s still standing.... I hope.

Knapp Hall - Rest in Pieces...

 

[JSmoove]

Helser Hall is getting a summer makeover • Inside Iowa State for faculty and staff • Iowa State University

www.inside.iastate.edu

I rescind my vote. Helser is no longer ******.

 

[CysRage]

When are they going to build Leath Hall?

 

[Beernuts]

Lived in Stange house in Friley. Probably the closest room to campus. Made some great friends on that floor.

 

[MeanDean]

Back when I applied and was accepted to ISU they gave you the choice of three options. TRA (Towers), FRA (Friley/Helser) and RCA (MWL etc).

My ranked choices w.ere 1: FRA 2: RC 3: TRA. I wound up in the towers. Furthest freaking walk to Campus and my major building - Town Hall.

 

[STLISU]

I would strongly recommenced Richardson Court area (aka Old RCA - Birch-Welch-Roberts, Barton-Lyon-Freeman) etc. You get the nice courtyard, trees, quintessential college feel, the hallways encourage interaction, the dens feel like old school college dens. Boys dorms are close to girls dorms (building by building, e.g. Oak-Elm, at least in past) but avoid the co-ed-floor weirdness effects to male group psychology.

Not as far away as Maple-Willow-Larch, not as much of a mole-burrow as Deep-Friley I would advise against the new Martin/Eaton suite where the doors are heavy and close automatically, and everything is far apart and non-conducive to organic socializing. Sure it is a bit more of a walk to engineering buildings but as a freshman your classes are scattered and that walk takes you through the creek/Knoll area and central campus.

Wherever you end up you get out what you put in, but the spatial arrangements can help or hinder...

I mean look at this place! If "aesthetic truth" is lost on him, and if you don't think it will be awakened by the springtime dogwood blooming along College Creek between the Union and the dorms, trees then maybe leave the spot for someone else, but otherwise...
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Completely agree. Roberts Hall, Harriman House for me. So many great memories.

 

[cycloner29]

I lived in BWR and worked food service in Oak-Elm. Since I was in Ag Business, most of my classes were Agronomy and Heady Hall, so it was a rather quick trip to and from classes.

 

[cycloner29]

Completely agree. Roberts Hall, Harriman House for me. So many great memories.

That's where I lived also!! What years?

 

[STLISU]

That's where I lived also!! What years?

77-81

 

[cycloner29]

77-81

I was there from 84-88. Lived in the "Suite" my last two years there.