This is my personal ranking and opinion of Marist freshman dorms. I am currently living in Leo Hall, which I love, and consider it one of the best halls for freshmen.
1. Champagnat Hall (Champ)
Pros
Connected to Student Center, Rotunda, the Cabaret, and the Dining hall!
The amount of times I have walked from Leo to the Dining hall in the winter while bundled up in my parka and I glance over and see people in nothing but sweats and t-shirts because they just had a convenient indoor stroll from their rooms in Champ.
Lounges on each floor! Half the floor is girls and the other half is guys so it is nice to be able to mingle in the shared lounge.
Elevator is quick, unlike Leo’s, if you’ve ever been in it you know what I am talking about.
Closer to academic buildings than half of the other freshman dorms.
Nine floors so a lot of new people to meet constantly.
Cons
Loud at all hours, which sometimes makes it hard to concentrate if you want to get work done.
2. Leo Hall
Pros
More social than Sheahan, but not as rowdy as Champ. So a nice mixture of both worlds.
Closer to the McCann Center (aka the gym) than Champ and Marian.
All the floors are very friendly, and it is easy to make friends with your floor.
Nice river view from the windows.
Cons
Smaller rooms than Sheahan and Marian.
Only two lounges, and the ground lounge is usually full of ground floor boys playing video games.
Also the lounges don’t have ping pong or pool tables.
Washers and Dryers are always full, and often don’t work.
Non coed floors.
3. Marian Hall
Pros
Every fashion major living in Marian can vouch for the huge closets!
Closest freshmen dorm to academic buildings.
Has the most spacious rooms.
A lounge on each floor.
One quiet study room on second floor.
Coed by wing on each floor, so there are guys and girls on each floor.
Cons
Furthest from the gym.
Rooms are often used for triples and quads; having three to four people in a room might get a little cramped.
Main lounge has a pool table and a ping pong table!
The rooms are spacious.
You never have to go to the library to study, because it is always quiet.
Cons
Furthest from academic buildings.
Non coed floors.
24 hour quiet hours, which can be very inconvenient if you want to hangout with friends in your room.
Claimed to be haunted by a girl named Shelley, who went to Marist and was murdered by her boyfriend in the dining hall in 1974.
Only three floors and has no elevator, which makes it difficult when trying to bring a heavy case of water or shopping bags up the stairs!
5. Midrise Hall
Pros
If you don’t know anyone from Marist at first, you have multiple roommates fresh off the bat.
Although there is only one floor of freshmen, everyone on the floor probably becomes very friendly.
Shared living room.
No communal bathrooms, which is convenient.
Cons
You have to clean your own bathrooms, which if neglected can get very disgusting.
You have to share the bathroom with over five people.
Orientation leaders mentioned that if you have never roomed with someone before that living in Midrise would be very difficult because you would have to manage multiple roommates.
Only one floor of freshman, so not many people to meet.
What are your favorite Marist freshman dorms? Comment below!
