Getting Settled: Residence Hall Life | Student Blog

When you first start school at Juilliard, moving away from home can be a challenge, especially when you are very close to your family like I am—I miss them a lot.

The Juilliard residence hall staff does a really great job in orientation welcoming everyone and making it feel like home. The one thing every freshman definitely has in common is having a first-year required roommate. You will most likely be put into the "E" room, as I was in my freshman year, and be in it to "pay your dues" so to speak. Living in a bunk bed with someone with your only personal space being in a practice room isn't always easy. Even if your roommate turns out to be the greatest person alive, it is still difficult to share and compromise when you're literally living on top of one another, which is why I have been dreaming about having a single room in the Juilliard residence hall for literally more than a year. After two years of living with roommates, I thought of every detail of my single room, which may sound crazy, but I feel so great about it because everything I wanted and planned came true in pretty much every way possible! In my life, I hadn't really had a chance to decorate my room exactly how I wanted to. Even while at home, I never really even thought to put up my own decorations or anything like that but now I have decorated exactly how I wanted to!  

  
Living in the residence hall isn't always the easiest thing and it does depend on your personality whether or not you want to stay or move off-campus, however, I can honestly say that for me, I really really appreciate having the privilege of being able to wake up 10 minutes before a class starts and still being able to make it on time. Also, it is just very convenient to have food right downstairs, a gym to use throughout the week, and health services just an elevator ride away if I am ever not feeling well. Not to mention the two layers of security that really make me feel safer than I have ever felt. It all comes together as a very great living situation, at least for me. Also, the views of Lincoln Center, the Hudson River, and the city are absolutely to die for. For some, living in the residence hall may be difficult, though, because of the rules, shared living spaces, and seeing the same people for longer than just in classes. Some people prefer to breathe on their own for a while after classes. I am definitely of this personality type but just having my own room is enough for me to feel isolated and have my necessary alone time.  

  
This year, being a resident assistant (RA) in the residence hall, I have had the joyous privilege of making my hall floor feel like home for my residents. This means that I decorated the hall with cute posters, flyers, and decorations (our theme this semester was social media). I also got to meet all of my residents, tell them about the living experience, the rules, and about my function as a person that they can come to for any kind of assistance or emotional support in this stressful time of Juilliard classes—especially ear training. In addition to all this, we are constantly striving to put on programs in the dorms and in school to let the students feel comfortable and at home. 

Anyways, that is a basic rundown on settling in the residence hall. I hope you enjoyed reading, and I look forward to the next blog!  

XOXO, 

Maggie