New College House is the most posh of Penn’s student dorms, but it’s also on the edge of campus, abutting the corner of 33rd and Chestnut streets.
Accordingly, its lack of relative proximity to both class and social life turn many away. But for those who live there, its distance from campus is less of an issue.
College freshman Hannah Singer likes the location of NCH, since it is close to her early morning rowing practice. She does see certain drawbacks to living farther away from the hub of campus. Singer mentioned that often when she walks back to her dorm at night, she is often alone as most of her friends live in the Quadrangle.
“There are definitely times when I realized how much more convenient it would be to live in the Quad,” Singer admitted.
College freshman Lauren Tappan also has an overall positive impression of NCH’s location, since most of her classes are in the surrounding area. However, Tappan found that at the beginning of the year, it was more difficult to make friends, considering most freshmen live in the Quad. Since then, she has discovered a strong sense of community within NCH.
“Everyone is generally very nice and caring,” she said.
College freshman Morgan Thweatt agreed with Tappan regarding the inclusiveness and friendliness of the NCH community, which she thinks is especially well suited for freshmen. Though Thweatt has been extremely happy with her housing experience, she does know people who have felt the opposite.
“I think that like you have to put in more effort to know people outside of your suite ... you can easily just [seclude yourself] in your room,” she said.
College freshman Sam Eichenwald describes himself as an extrovert and was vocal about how great NCH has been for him.
“I would say, considering the type of person I am ... I am extremely happy that I’m living in New College House,” he said.
Eichenwald was surprised by NCH’s amenities, given the common stereotypes surrounding college freshman dorms. “I always assumed that I’d live in a rat hole,” he said.
Every NCH resident has a single within a suite, all suites are equipped with a flat-screen television and there is dining and retail on the first floor.
It seems the relative lack of proximity to both social and academic life is, on the whole, not an issue for those who call NCH home.
“It’s like a five minute walk every day for significantly more luxury,” Eichenwald said.
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