Moving from the comfort of home to an unfamiliar college campus can be a challenging transition. Figuring out where and with whom to live can be even more so. Some students are beyond excited to move out for the first time to something fresh, while others may feel hesitant. Whichever one you may be, either way it can be overwhelming.

College is not just going to another place; it is navigating a new community of people and academics. Living at college is about learning to move in a new space where you can soon be comfortable, connected, and at home.

So, why live on campus?

• Living on campus offers students a unique opportunity. You may likely never have another time in your life where you are living in community with your peers.

• Living on campus offers a closeness to classes, the library, and other campus activities that you may not get to experience otherwise.

• It cultivates an environment to build lifelong relationships and erases the worry a daily commute may cause.

• Campus housing can also teach you a lot of valuable life skills, including conflict resolution, time management, and how to properly do your laundry, while providing a sense of safety and stability.

On-Campus Housing Options

There are a few options for freshmen and upperclassmen housing. Incoming freshmen have the opportunity to live communally with shared bedrooms, lounges, and plenty of opportunities to connect with other students on your floor. Freshmen students have to live in one of the traditional halls their first year and then have a few more options for the rest of their college career.

• Clarke Hall is a freshmen women’s residence hall with a traditional dorm room layout. Clarke has double rooms, common bathrooms, and a kitchen on each floor. It is close to the dining hall and has a sand volleyball court outside of it for many fun times with your friends.
  
  
• Pearce Hall and Memorial Hall are also your typical dorm layouts, but for men’s housing. Pearce and Memorial Halls are known campus-wide for having a strong sense of brotherhood and you can always find fun activities happening, like cookouts, video game tournaments, and pickleball competitions. Both of these freshmen men’s halls have built amazing community within them that you will certainly experience living here.
  
  
• Mckee Hall is also an option for freshmen and upperclassmen to live in and has a unique set up. It features suite-style rooms in which two bedrooms share a bathroom. Freshmen can live here, and upperclassmen can apply to live here as well.

What makes Geneva College a unique choice for housing in particular is its apartment-style living for upperclassmen. There is one women’s and one men’s hall.

• Geneva Arms Hall and Young Hall each feature a full kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and living area. In the apartment buildings, you can have anywhere from 3 to 6 roommates.
  
  
• Lastly, upperclassmen have the opportunity to live in one of the campus houses. Richardson House, Schoolhouse, and Kerr House each house a varying number of upperclassmen students. Many students love the houses, as well as the more household and independent environment they foster.

Commuting to Geneva

Around one-third of Geneva’s students are commuter students. Commuting to college has many benefits for those that are close to campus and have completed the commuter application process. Students that have the ability to commute often save money, stay close to family, and keep familiar routines. See My Vision for Commuter Life for more on the commuter experience.

Housing Process

Picking where to live at college can feel like a one-thousand-piece puzzle, so knowing how the housing selection process works is crucial. Housing selection for freshmen is usually done the spring prior to the next academic year and freshmen are notified of their living arrangements at the beginning of summer. Upperclassmen are similar, although they need to turn in the application a little earlier and will get their housing assignments before the semester’s end.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Incoming freshmen should also complete their housing paperwork and roommate preferences on time.

• Freshmen and upperclassmen alike can request their roommates or go with random ones.

• If you decide on a random roommate, you may fill out a roommate questionnaire and Residence Life and Housing will help find compatible roommates to make living adjustments significantly easier.

• For more information, visit Geneva Housing and Residence Life.

• The Geneva website provides virtual tours so you can see your living space without having to even step foot on campus!

Before applying for housing, take some time to explore the options that you have and learn more about what might be a good fit for you. Your college home should be a place where you can belong, live in community, and be able to grow in what the Lord is calling you to do during your time here.