First-Year Dorms
*updated as of Aug. 12, 2022
Chu & Kalperis Hall
- By far the most braggable element of these dorms is the fact that they are the newest dorms and have air conditioning, which is an absolute lifesaver for the first month at school
- They have really cool study spots, such as a penthouse lounge in Kal (aka The Treehouse) and booths on the ground floor of Chu. Kal also has an amazing fireplace, that’s always nice in the winter!
- There’s also really nice (and clean) full size kitchens in both buildings stocked with a stove, fridge, freezer, and pots and pans.
- Both are in close proximity to Post & Print and the school store (located downstairs of Kal) which means that you won’t have to experience people laughing at you as you attempt to carry 5 packages back to your dorm in the dead of winter.
280
- The second most modern dorm building on campus (some say it feels almost as new as Chu and Kal, but I wouldn’t go that far).
- There is a beautiful lounge with a working fireplace, as well as a couple smaller study spaces if you can clinch them in time on a Sunday morning
- You can watch kids running up and down, sledding, and even skiing down Mount David from the comfort of your bed,
- A couple cons is that if you live on the mountainside, your room will constantly smell like weed and the rooms have really small windows.
Rand
- Probably the most quiet dorm – Rand tends to be an enigma due to the fact that no one you meet seems to actually live there.
- Big rooms, especially on the first two floors, and a pretty cool staircase (my freshman year, though, the fourth floor smelt really really bad consistently throughout the entire year).
Parker
- Super spacious rooms and carpeted floors (helps with the noise)!
- There are a couple ~magic~ rooms where not only do you get a big room, but also a random en suite toilet.
- Great location – and right on alumni walk, which means you’re basically in the center of Campus with pretty easy access to the puddle and the quad, Commons, the library, and most of the academic buildings.
Adams
- Right next to the amphitheater for nice outdoor access on warmer days, and super close to Commons and Pettengill. The walls are all white brick, which gives the building some character (but also makes it look a little drab), and some of the floors have coed bathrooms (do what you want with that information).
- Overall a very average dorm! Good sized rooms and closet space, decent bathrooms, and a pretty good lounge.
- Just a few minutes walk from Kim’s (the local convenience store), which will come in clutch when all you want to eat is some microwaveable Mac and Cheese or some really good chicken tender fried rice (always ask for extra yum yum sauce).
Page
- To be honest, Page is kind of beat. A pro of this is that it will serve as a bonding experience for all who live there, and you have some real clout (my freshman year some of the floors got really close, especially during grab-and-go).
- Page is almost entirely first-years, so you get to meet tons of people in your class and it tends to be a super social dorm.
- Page rooms are pretty spacious, especially in terms of storage. The ground floor has really small windows, but pairs of rooms have an individual joint bathroom which is a plus.
Milliken, Frye & Clason
- Entirely first-years (aside from your JAs), and the houses are almost like a big family, where you pretty much get to know everyone!
- These houses are pretty far from Commons (during the dead of winter or when it snows it becomes a pain to have to walk almost half a mile to eat). You’re right on/near Frye Street and can walk through the quad every day (which is gorgeous when the leaves change color)!
- The rooms have a lot of character (and architecturally BEAUTIFUL because they’re older). Each house has a single bathroom (one toilet, shower, and sink all connected) on each floor, which is tough in the mornings when everyone has class around the same time. Also the kitchens don’t have a stove to cook on and they only have a sink and a large fridge, so don’t expect to cook unless you want to walk to another dorm (learned that the hard way).
- Clason is a Healthy Living House.
Donate to The Bates Student
$275
$750
Contributed
Our Goal
Your donation will support the student journalists of Bates College and help us cover our annual website hosting costs.
About the Writer
Georgina Scoville, Managing Editor
Georgina Scoville is a senior from London, England. She is majoring in Economics with a minor in Education, which she loves because she gets to spend lots...
Glen Warner • Aug 25, 2020 at 11:26 AM
You forgot to mention that 280 College has the two coolest custodians on campus!
Lisa Maheux on the East (street) side and myself, Glen Warner, on the West (Mountain)side.
No matter what Dorm you are in, WELCOME TO BATES!!