It was a warm July morning when I received the news. The highly anticipated, life altering, freshman-year defining news that every incoming student was waiting for. It came in the form of a three-word text message from a future classmate: “Housing is out.”
I scrambled to my Agora Portal for the first time to see my room assignment. What should have been a brief login attempt turned into 10 long minutes of what felt like attempting to hack into Fort Knox.
After creating passwords, backup passwords, and confirming my identity in more ways than I knew were possible, I finally made it into the housing portal. At the top of the page in big black lettering read “Hardey Hall Room 316.” Hands shaking, I plugged Hardey Hall into Google and was met with the result that no incoming freshman wants: Newton Campus. Cue the devastation.
After a few weeks of self-gaslighting and forced optimism, I moved into Hardey 316 with a glass-half-full mindset and a determination to make the best of my situation. I had my orientation in early July, and the chatter amongst my classmates was that being banished to Newton is the worst thing that can happen to a freshman.
But soon after moving in, I realized that Newton was not nearly as bad as people made it out to be. In fact, I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. The campus is beautiful and the dining hall is amazing. I cannot, however, attempt to glamorize the bus.
As a person who prides themselves on waking up as dangerously close to class as possible, the bus was certainly an obstacle. It was hard to hear when friends who lived on Upper would say things like, “I have an hour before my next class, I’m going to take a nap.”
Though Newton residents weren’t afforded the luxury of midday naps, I came to appreciate being forced to stay on main campus. I spent my free time between classes in the library and usually got most of my homework done before the end of the day, something I would not have done if my room was just a walk away. Then, after I finished my classes, I would head back to Newton for dinner.
Stuart, the Newton dining hall, might be my favorite eatery at this school. It is welcoming and homey—the opposite of Mac’s clinical and impersonal atmosphere. The food is great, and the staff really try to make Stuart a great experience for the students.
I remember Mark, the assistant manager, sitting down with all the different tables last year to ask for feedback on the late night options. When a friend of mine expressed her wishes for the salad bar to stay open during late night, Mark made it happen. There is also something wonderful about strolling into Stuart in my pajamas without the fear of being seen by anybody on the hockey team.
I also think it’s an easier adjustment for students who aren’t ready to abandon their high school routines. The action of waking up, commuting to school, and going home at the end of the day provides a structure reminiscent of real life. It also allows you to separate school and “home,” which I was definitely grateful for at times. If I was having a really crazy week and was stressed out by schoolwork, I knew that returning to Newton would allow me to decompress.
Now, as a sophomore living on Lower, I am missing all the things I used to take for granted on Newton. I miss the quiet. I love being in the action on main campus, but the peace that Newton provided was unparalleled. There is absolutely nothing peaceful about living on Lower.
I also miss the efficiency of Stu. I have to wait at least 20 minutes if I dare to desire an omelet on a Sunday morning because the lines at lower are so long. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful to be on main campus this year, I just didn’t anticipate how much I would miss Newton. I met all of my closest friends there, and we all feel the same way. The tables outside lower simply can’t beat the adirondack chairs that sit on the lawn outside Hardey. I’ve found that most former Newton residents hold a lot of pride for their dorm. When I asked another student what he thought of living on Newton, his only response was “Hardey Party.” (Though I feel the need to note that he lived in Cushing).
I’m almost on the other side of my Newton Campus withdrawal. I’m getting used to my new living situation, so I should be rid of the symptoms soon, yet deep down I think I’ll always have a soft spot for Newton—I just can’t imagine a BC experience without it.
