I didn’t originally sign up to live in a historic house when I studied abroad, but whatever changed my living circumstances I can only thank, for living here has been a wonderful experience. I love its accessible location on campus, its large space and splendid construction. Reflecting on this, here are five reasons why I love living in my historic house!

1. The ornateness of it

I won’t lie, when my roommate and I initially walked into our room for the first time, we both shared a similar impression—it had the aesthetic of an old classroom. Granted, we had only just moved in, so it was all pretty bare, so such a comparison could be made. But now, after some shifting of furniture and filling our rooms with our modern devices, it looks to be relatively up to date!

While the inside is not as picturesque as its shell, it’s hardly worth complaining about when it provides all the amenities you need: a kitchen, en-suite bathrooms, laundry machines and the hatch on the roof that could lead to death.

2. I’m sorry, but did you say deadly hatch on the roof?

Well, something’s only deadly if you interact with it (or interact with it incorrectly), but yes. Maybe it’s an American thing, for us Brits do not tend to have hatches that open onto a sloping roof three stories high. For some reason, 90 Wentworth Street has an opening onto the roof.

Not to sound like a game walkthrough, but if you take the stairs up to the top and climb the distinctly white staircase, you’ll encounter an awkward-to-open hatch that reveals access to the roof. I’m not sure if I particularly love this dangerous doorway to the sky, but I most certainly think it’s a fun addition to the house.

What’s it for, you ask? My hypothesis is that it’s either for house maintenance, sick parkour tricks or exciting sunbathing. I will be doing none of those things and have instead taken this good selfie which summarizes my affection towards the sky hole:

3. The beauty of its architecture

Our house’s Victorian architecture can get lost in the array of buildings that line Wentworth, but one thing I have found is just how unique they all are when you take a closer look. 90 Wentworth is a semi-detached home, sharing the corner of Wentworth and St Philip with another equally impressive house.

I’ve lived here for months now, but I don’t tire of looking at my dorm from the outside—it’s huge height, pretty yellow exterior and the shiny, white balconies that cling to each floor. It’s absolutely gorgeous in the sunlight and highly picturesque.

4. The location

90 Wentworth sits on the corner of two of the College of Charleston campus’ main streets: St Philip Street and, obviously, Wentworth Street. Because of this, a walk to King Street takes less than a minute, and getting to class (and to my Lord and savior, CVS) is a breeze.

If you’ve read my other article about why I love working on campus, maybe you’ll know where I work. Getting to work, fully signed in, takes less than a minute, so I’m never late. If I am, it just looks really bad on me.

Another great thing about my home’s position is its centrality on campus. It’s close to everything from the library, the Stern Center, my classes and my beautiful son, CVS.

5. Living with people (but not too many people)

I consider myself to be a sort of ambivert. I like to see people, and sometimes I really like to hang out with a few friends, but otherwise, I want to be alone—either writing or watching good YouTube channels like Polygon (please watch Monster Factory; it’s glorious).

I share my room with another Brit from the same university as me, and we get along just fine. However, at least for me, one roomie is enough; I like the combination of socializing and space it provides.

I also think back to horror stories of those that have lived in larger accommodations and student residences, where many will share one kitchen. Living by yourself allows stuff to pile up in the sink, that’s for sure, but when more than one does it, you are given a permanent art installation I like to call ‘Forever Dishes’. I imagine the ‘Environment’ needs bar from The Sims remaining in the red for a very, very long time.

Onto the positive: it’s also great sharing accommodation with others. It lets you meet new people and gives you someone to socialize with now and then, which is always a pleasant addition to your day.

Having some space is great, but I know for sure that I need to balance this with some healthy socializing, too. Even better, then, that I live in a historic house!