While some lucky students have used low lottery numbers to secure rooms in the posh Residences at 10 Buick St. this winter, others are taking advantage of the specialty housing program to score spots in Boston University’s most sought after housing.
Among the various brownstones and large dormitories available to students around campus, there is another option that many students overlook. Students can live in specialty residences all over campus with others that have similar interests.
Specialty housing is utilized by students of all ages and offers them a range of housing options.
There are upwards of 50 specialty houses and floors on Bay State Road, South Campus and the large residences geared toward academic and social interests. Houses and floors target students interested in a particular language, course of study or other activity, including the music and performing arts house.
Residence Life Director David Zamojski said he thinks specialty housing is a great opportunity for students.
“What’s unique is students with similar interests can live together,” he said.
Students said they applied for specialty housing for a variety of reasons. Some apply looking to live with friends or as an improvement to their current housing situation. Others prefer living with people who share their interests.
College of Communication sophomore Eleanor Kagan lives in the Music House on Bay State Road. She said she decided to apply for specialty housing because she thought she would have a better chance at getting into a better house.
“Living in the dorms was fun for freshman year,” she said, “but I didn’t want to do it again, so I was hoping I’d be able to move into a brownstone.”
The Music House also boasts special amenities not available in most dormitories. The newly renovated brownstone has practice rooms equipped with pianos available to the students living in the residence.
COM freshman Liane Hu lives on the 14th floor of Shields Tower in Warren Towers, the all-female communications floor. She said she likes living with people in her classes.
“Last semester, we all took COM 101 together and it was great to have the other girls right here to ask for help with papers,” she said.
Many specialty residences also have house or floor events to encourage participation of the residence members.
Kagan said that although there are no official Music House events, “we usually come out to support each other’s performances.”
Hu said that while the floor has hosted several events, none have been related to communications. Events have included figure skating at frog pond and carving pumpkins at Marsh Chapel.
Zamojski said living in a specialty residence is a good way to “integrate academic and social lives.”
For example, living in one of the language houses “allows you to practice the language and learn about the culture,” he said.
根据Zamojski, many faculty members and student advisors try to involve themselves in the specialty residences. Several faculty-in-residence live in specialty houses and other faculty members work with the Resident Advisors and students to create a learning environment outside of the classroom.
为了获得在一个专业住宅student must apply and meet the requirements of the house or floor. Being approved for a specific residence does not guarantee a student a spot during room selection since more students are approved for specialty housing than there are spots available.
