There are several housing options at Princeton. Students can choose to live in a single, double or in a quad. I live in a quad, and I must admit, it is pretty amazing. Quads consist of two bedrooms connected with a common room. You get to bond with your roommates and learn to live with other people.
In the weeks before the start of classes, my roommates and I started to buy items for the common room. One of our first bonding experiences was carrying a couch from one end of campus to the other. The couch was heavy, it was 80 degrees outside, and we lived on the third floor. We felt very accomplished that day.
One of the first things you notice when you walk into our common room are the flags. My quad is pretty international; my roommates are from Colombia, Italy and Sweden, and I am from Honduras. I enjoy listening to my roommates’ stories about growing up and what they miss most from home. I also feel reassured that I am not the only one adjusting to American culture and that we are in it together.
Even though we all share the common room and part of the bedrooms, we each get personal spaces. I decided to decorate my desk with family pictures and a big whiteboard calendar. I also hang posters about my favorite TV shows next to my bed. For me, a quad is the perfect living situation because if I want privacy I can be in my bedroom, and if I am feeling social I can hang out in the common room. It is the best of both worlds.
Coming into Princeton, I thought I wanted my own space and to live in a single, but living in a quad has been an incredible experience. My roommates have become my best friends on campus. No matter what your living situation is at Princeton, there will be advantages and disadvantages, but I encourage prospective students to consider living with roommates for their first few years.