Introduction

            Once a student has selected a college to attend, their next biggest decision is which dorm to live in their freshman year. After making my choice to attend ASU, my thoughts went to this as well and I began doing research. I tried to look up the pros and cons about each of the dorms just to get a feel for each of them. From my research, I did not find much information besides the approximate sizes of the room and very crud youtube videos that someone took as they went on a tour through the rooms.  

            As a freshman now, and looking back on when I was choosing, I wish I had a more in depth chart that ranked the dorms through the eyes of freshman, and told what they were like to live in. Each dorm can be classified and ranked when held up by certain criteria. Of course some of this material begins with health codes and other such laws laid out by the CDC and other government organizations. Upon research, all of the dorms meet these basic requirements, but it is a matter of how well. For instance, all dorms meet spatial and air freshness standards but rooms in one dorm are farther apart than rooms in another while rooms in one have better access to fresh air than another.

On the ASU Tempe campus, there are four main dorms that freshman stay in: Sonora Center, Adelphi Commons II, Hassayampa, and Palo Verde.To begin with the assessment of the dorms, the first criteria I will be looking at is the availability to fresh air that the residents have.  This is one of the most important criteria there is because accesses to fresh air can greatly affect a student’s mentality. Being cooped up in a room with stale air blowing in can be very draining mentally and creates a poor work environment, especially if sunlight cannot enter the room as well. This piece of criteria will evaluate whether the resident is able to breath fresh air while in their room and if not, are the able to easily go outside. Along with access to outside, I will also be looking at the amount of light that can enter the room through windows and if those windows can open. I think this is a determinate factor to many people when they are looking at where to live which is also why it is the first criteria listed.

Along with natural lighting and fresh air, the actual size and layout of the room is an important aspect on which a student while want to live in that dorm. Not only are the dimensions of each of the bedrooms important but also whether or not there is a common room in the dorm. Having space in ones dorm can be contribute greatly to how well the roommates and suitemates get along as well as how happy they are when they are at their room.

While sizes of the bedrooms are a crucial part of the room, so is the size of the bathrooms. When the bathroom is small, it can get cluttered quickly and become unsanitary.  The set up of the bathroom determines how well it serves its function. Some dorms have separate sinks so that only two people share a sink while the four share a toilet and a shower. Others have one shared room with the two sinks next to each other with the shower and toilet behind them.

Moving away from the room specifically, location of the dorm complex in respect to a dining hall is also important. Two of the dorms being examined have their own dining hall while the other two are a bit of a walk away.

Looking at the design of the dorm complex, certain designs are better for encouraging interactions between residents which helps freshmen to make friends. A dorm that has a hallway set up allows the residents to have their doors open and to interact as they walk by while dorms with an apartment set up tend to keep to themselves. The design of the complex can also provide a central area for recreational activities for the residents. 

• Access to fresh air
• How many windows are in the room
• How much light can get into the room
• Is there easy access to outside

• Space to move around in the room
• Is there a common room
• How big are the bedrooms
• Is there enough room for accessories (TV, futon, sparklet, etc)

• Closest place to eat
• Where is the nearest dining hall
• What is the quality of the closest dining hall
• Are there other eating places closer than the dining hall

• Bathroom style
• How many people share the bathroom
• How many sinks per person are there
• How large is the bathroom

• Design of the dorm complex
• Is it open for the residents to interact with one another 
• Is there a central area for the residents to do activities
• Are there recreational facilities close by

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