As a Bridgewater College resident, I never thought that I would be living in the Stone Village. The Stone Village is a group of five houses on campus that were built in 2011 according to LEED standards (meaning they're eco-friendly). I like to think of myself as a person of modest means, and I considered the Village to be, well...too luxurious for my taste. Yet, here I am in one of its habitations, contentedly sharing space with three friends, an assortment of plants, three fish and several handmade throw pillows. So, what's it like to live in one of these apartments?
Some of the upsides:
1. A Full-Size Kitchen
Village apartments have a full-size fridge, stove, sink, microwave and plenty of cabinet and counter space. Actually, I don't find myself using the kitchen as much as my roommates, who love baking and brewing tea. If you enjoy cooking for yourself, this is the kitchen for you! You don't have to lug all your hardware to the dorm kitchen, and also unlike a dorm kitchen you can leave your dirty dishes in the sink (that is, if your roommates don't mind).
2. A Private Living Room
This is like the lounge area in all the dorms, except you only share it with three other people. I've always appreciated the lounges in the dorms; they're a change of atmoshphere from the room and a nice escape if you want to get up early on a Saturday morning to do homework and don't want to disturb your roommate. Unlike the dorm lounges, the apartment living rooms afford you more privacy. So, technically, if you wanted to sit out there half-naked, you could (again, as long as the roommates don't mind. When it comes to dirty dishes and nudity, always ask).
3. Lots of Space
Both of the previous upsides concern space, and space is one of the great things about a Village apartment. You could fill up the kitchen countertops with all types of devices: toaster, blender, coffee maker, breadmaker, George Foreman, juice press, TV, deli slicer, fax machine, tablesaw, etc. In fact, I dont think I have taken advantage of the space we have. I might have to start hoarding in order to really milk this space for all it's worth. If you've got it, use it, right?
4. The Jacuzzi
There's nothing like studying in a pool of hot suds. Just kidding. There's no jacuzzi in the Village!
Some of the downsides:
1. No Bathtub
Unfortunately, there are no bathtubs in the these apartments, so say goodbye to your long, relaxing, aromatherapy baths. Just a vertical shower. I lived in a suite in Blue Ridge (another one of BC's residence halls) for two years and I really did get used to the bathtub, even if it was only for the extra ledge space.
2. The Cost
Living in the Stone Village will tack on extra money to your statement of account; it has the highest fee out of all the residence halls.
3. The Noise
Sound easily travels through these walls. From our apartment I can hear people walking up the main flight of stairs and closing and opening the front door. If you prefer absolute quiet...well, you're not going to get that here. Although, I've heard that hanging rugs and blankets on the walls can help absorb the sound.
Pros and cons aside, I've been having a great time living with my three interesting, intelligent, and silly roommates (shout out to you guys!) Amenities are important to most people when choosing where to live, but roommates make all the difference. When seeking housing in the spring, remember that it's not so much where you live but who you live with that matters.
