Photos by Lucinda Buck, '08 

Morrisville Commons, the new apartment-like suites, is new to the college this year, offering more freedom to students and giving them the opportunity to live on their own.

Living in the Commons lets students obtain the opportunity to experience apartment life, like cooking and cleaning, which lets students learn how to manage their money because they now have to save for groceries. “We don’t eat at Seneca; we cook here every day,” says Dan Foster, a fourth-year student.

There are a number of rules that have to be followed when living in the Commons. They have “higher standards” than the other students who live in the dorms, says Nathan Flintjer, manager of the Commons. Flintjer has run into some problems, however. He says he had to schedule times for students to take out their trash because some students were not recycling.

Due to the recent vandalizing of the elevator, students are not allowed to use it.

The Commons is a collection of four- to six-person apartments. The four-person apartments come with four single rooms, two bathrooms, and one shower. The six-person apartment has two single rooms, two double rooms, two bathrooms and two showers. Each apartment includes cable TV, Internet connections, a kitchen, table and chairs, and furniture.

“It’s nice living there; you have your own space and bathroom, it’s a lot bigger, and there is an air conditioner that you have control over,” Foster says.

There are eight washers and dryers in the laundry room, cold water is free, and the hot water is 25 cents. “It’s not bad with laundry either. I hardly wait at all for clothes,” Foster says.
“I like that you’re allowed to drink,” said sophomore Christina Breault. The alcohol policy for the commons is that students over 21 are allowed to have a six-pack in their rooms. Alcohol is not allowed in the common area of the apartment.

People who live in the Commons are mostly “upper classmen,” Foster says. “Freshmen should have to learn to deal with life down in the dorm. Living in the Commons should be a privilege.”

The freshmen are “the least of my problems,” Flintjer counters. Lower classmen are the most respectful of the building and the rules. Currently he says, there are 40 freshmen living in the Commons.

Commons life has its benefits. “I like the freedom. The best thing about the Commons is you don’t have “your parents (RAs) sitting there, waiting for you to get back and checking you in like you do at the dorms,” Foster says.

Besides the good aspects of living in the commons, there are some downfalls. “It is expensive,” Foster admits, “and there is nothing to hang things on, no shelves, no racks to hang my towels on, and we can’t put holes in the wall.”

“The walk to go to classes is a pain in the butt,” says resident Crystal Sayward. Many students who live in the commons have bikes, and the Commons staff plans to put in a bike rack for the students.

The walk to class is not so bad, Foster says, depending on where a student is heading. “I only have to go to the auto building, so it’s not bad for me,” he says.

“It’s great! I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else,” says sophomore Jennifer Hall.