By Fernanda Hurtado Ortiz, news correspondent
With the start of the spring semester, Northeastern welcomed students to the new East Village residence hall.
Jeremy Herbert, a freshman chemical engineering major, was one of many students to move into East Village on Jan. 6. Herbert and others were welcomed by “smart” elevators, brand new laundry facilities and common rooms, some including TVs.
According to Herbert, living in East Village has provided a positive environment, but also hosts some negative aspects.
“It’s really modern and cool. Everything is very new,” Herbert, who studied abroad in Greece with the N.U.inProgram in the fall, said. “It kind of sucks not having a dining hall and a gym in the building like [International Village] does, but it is still a nice building and the common rooms are incredible.”
Similarly to Herbert, Jennifer Kollman, who also studied abroad in Ireland with N.U.in last semester, enjoys her new living environment.
“I really like the fact that we have separate common rooms and study spaces,” Kollman, a freshman business major, said. “I also really like the way the rooms are set up – that’s my favorite part. The fact that we have two doubles connected by a bathroom I think is really cool so that not a whole floor has to share a bathroom.”
Residence Director (RD) Christina Alch started working in East Village because she wanted to take on the challenge of opening a brand new building. She said she believes that what separates East Village from other residences are the modern features included throughout the building and the community that has formed from the primarily N.U.in population.
“Most of the rooms have really breathtaking views of the campus and skyline, and a lot of the little touches that they have added in have made the spaces really special,” Alch said. “There is a ton of lounge space around the building, with two study lounges and six entertainment lounges. There are five classroom spaces on the first floor and basement level, and beautiful event and meeting spaces on the 17th floor. And there’s a bike room that stores up to 150 bikes.”
According to Alch, it is a rarity that so many N.U.in students are housed together, providing an opportunity to help them transition during their first few weeks at Northeastern. About 100 N.U.in student live in International Village, as stated by the RD of IV North and West towers, Patrick Lesswing.
“I would say there’s about 600 students [that live in East Village] who studied with N.U.in last semester, and about 100 students who did not,” Alch said. “The community has formed really fast already, and it’s really amazing to see it happen so naturally, which I think also sets East Village apart from other residence halls.”
Although living in East Village has helped Herbert transition into living on a traditional campus environment, he said it also believes that the large population of N.U.in students does create its own bubble, because the residence hall is more removed from campus.
“Being with other N.U.in students definitely makes it a lot easier because everyone wants to meet new people as well. Everyone wants to break out of the bubble that is their [N.U.in] country,” Herbert said.
Kollman, on the other hand, thinks otherwise.
“I made so many friends and met so many great people already and everyone was just so welcoming, so I think it was great that they put us all together,” Kollman said. “I think that it gives us something in common since we all have the same anxieties and fears about coming in. It feels like a community.”
Alch said she believes it has been really beneficial having many N.U.in students in East Village this semester, both for the students and Resident Assistants (RA).
“This has made building community quick and easy for the RA staff because these students are so excited about getting to know the other people in the building,” Alch said.
After a challenging move-in day with over 600 students moving in at once, Alch said she has heard nothing but positive comments from residents, parents and the RAs.
“I think the overall impression is really positive,” Alch said. “We see a ton of students coming in and out for classes, and we’ve heard nothing but wonderful things. Everyone seems to love how new the building is and how beautifully designed everything is.”
