I know that you totally want to know which dorms on the Stony Brook campus are the most coveted. We’ve all been there! Which buildings have the best heating during the winter? Which buildings are the closest to dining facilities? So, here’s the scoop on the best Stony Brook dorms to live in. And if you weren’t lucky enough to be placed in any of these as a freshman, you can keep this list in mind for room selection in the spring!
First off, Roth Quad is the quad that’s closest to all the lecture halls, the library, and basically the Academic Mall (the center of campus). Not to mention the fact that it’s suite-style living and there’s an air conditioner in all the rooms. Anyone who lives on any building on Roth is envied, but Gershwin is especially awesome because it has…wait for it…kitchens in the suites. It’s what we call a cooking building. Instead of having to go down to use a communal kitchen, you can cook breakfast in the comfort of your own suite! That being said, it’s not required for you to sign up for a meal plan if you live in a cooking building. Now that’s a sweet pick!
Lauterbur is a pretty new addition to Kelly Quad, even though it’s physically on Roosevelt Quad. It was brand spanking new when I was a freshman two years ago, and it’s so sleek looking — a stark contrast against the other brick-brown buildings on campus. This Stony Brook dorm is really nice looking, new, and it has air conditioning! There’s no minimum GPA or seniority standard, but luck is truly on your side if you manage to get placed in Lauterbur as a freshman.
Yang is literally the exact same as Lauterbur, except Yang is a part of Roosevelt Quad. Like
Lauty, Yang doesn’t have a GPA requirement or a seniority standard, so anyone is able to pick a room in that building during room selection (if they’re fast enough!).
Dewey is the closest building to the West Side Dining facility (there’s Hamilton College on the other side of WSD, too). People literally walk out of Dewey in pajamas and flip-flops to grab food at WSD and it’s totally acceptable! Even in the winter, minimal clothing is worn when going from Dewey to the dining hall because it’s just so close! Dewey also blasts the heating system during the winter months. If you get hot easily, you’ll probably end up keeping your fan (yes, fan, there’s no AC here!) on all day. But if you get cold easily like me, you’ll find everything warm and toasty!
The West Apartments Complex is on campus, but it’s probably the furthest set of residence halls from the Academic Mall. All of these apartments have a minimum GPA requirement of a 3.0 and you must have junior standing (at least 57 credits). They’re actual apartments with a kitchen, living room, and bathrooms. Also, every room is a single, which means you don’t have roommates. Building D is so special because it’s a little closer to civilization. The bus does run through the Apartments so you don’t always have to walk, but it’s definitely best to not rely on a bus schedule for getting to other parts of campus.
Tabler Quad, as you’ll soon find out, is notorious for the hill that sits just beyond the Tabler steps, and let me tell you, it is an actual test of bravery, determination, and your lung power to get up there. This is why I put Toscanini sixth (It’s even more of a struggle during the winter with snow and ice on the ground!) Toscanini is a great pick on Tabler because it’s the closest to the hill and the street, so after you hike up there you won’t have to walk too far to finally crash in your room. Plus, Toscanini is known for having fantastic and friendly RAs and people who live there in general, and they always win Roth Regatta in the spring!
Irving is one of those fabulous Stony Brook cooking buildings I told you about before. It’s on Mendelsohn Quad, which has all corridor style rooms. Corridor style living is great for getting to know more people. The buildings on Mendy are also really close to the campus rec center where you can exercise and take fitness classes. Irving is also right next to the super brand new ‘Toll Drive’ residence halls, and despite how excited everyone is for those, I didn’t include them on this list because the only people who have been in those buildings are the construction workers – they’re not done yet, so no one knows what it’s like to live there.
The last of the Stony Brook dorms, in my opinion, all of the buildings on H Quad and on Mendelsohn Quad look nice (and closest to actual houses) but Benny is awesome because the LDS Center is right in the basement. The LDS Center is super spacious, so many events get hosted there — fancy events, ceremonies, workshops, etc. Not having to walk outside and brave the elements to get to an event is always the icing on the cake! Granted, it is a bit of trek to get from H Quad to the Academic Mall.
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