Work Cited

Belock, Shirley. “A Comparison of the Grade Point Averages of Freshmen Students Living in Dormitories with the Grade Point Averages of Commuting Students at Castleton State College.”  1974. 35.

Chickering, Arthur. Commuting Versus Resident Students. San Francisco. Jossey-Bass Publishers. 1974

DeVillers, Julia. College Dorm Survival Guide: How To Survive and Thrive in Your New Home Away From Home. Crown Publishing Group. 2006.

Hughes, Marvalene. “Helping Students Understand and Appreciate Diversity”. Realizing the Educational Potential of Residance Halls. (191)

"Palo Verde Beach"

[Source: Jullisa Sanchez]

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        Found in between all three Palo Verde dormitories on the North side of Arizona State University, there is a newly remodeled spot built specifically for the residents, often called “Palo Verde Beach”. It has recently been made into a beautiful, grassy area with big steps surrounding it. It is the center of the dorms where people often socialize. It is a nice place to sit and eat for many residents, especially because it is right outside of the diner. It provides such a great environment for everyone to be with their friends, meet others or even to be alone. It really helps intergrade a social place into the dorm life for everyone to simply relax and “hangout”. Many people also use the beach to get active. People play soccer and frisbee and often times do yoga as well. Going into the university can be very stressful and feel very lonesome, making it essential to get involved. One does not necessarily have to become involved in sports and clubs, although that is common; one can get involved by simply joining a game of frisbee outside their dormitory at the beach.
        Engaging in friendships and social meetings are very important and influential in the success of a student and the beach is one of many places at Arizona State that makes that possible. It is the environment that Arizona State brings forth and the general settings it provides for people to interact and share common interests, which make the beach such a great place. Socializing and being involved in school related activities, becomes significantly easier while living on campus. “[Residents] are more frequently involved with fraternities and sororities and more often participate in intramural athletics and in various social activities” (Chickering, 54). Being a resident makes it so much easier for students to adjust to the “big change” of college and to feel welcome. Residents are all experiencing the same thing, the new challenges, the new living obstacles and they can all relate and share experiences, making it easier on students.

Palo Verde East

[Source: Jullisa Sanchez]

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        Palo Verde East is the third of the Palo Verde dormitories. It is co-ed and home to many sun devil students. It has a hub on the first floor connected to the building that is very popular. The hub has a movie dispenser for students to easily rent movies and a lounge area where students often study, socialize and relax. Many students also need their daily dose of coffee, which is good because the hub also contains a Starbucks. One might ask if residents can receive mail and the answer is yes. The hub contains several rooms filled with mailboxes, belonging to all the residents of North campus. Next to the mailboxes is a UPS store for students to send out and receive packages. Unlike the other dormitories, Palo Verde East is where the Residence Hall Association (RHA) is located. The RHA helps students become involved with the use of: conferences, leadership camps, homecoming float building and other programs.
        With so many events, programs and the new living situation going on at the dorms; students are forced to face much diversity within the new community. “Unlike students who live off campus, those who reside on campus are more likely to develop diverse friendships and to benefit from other concentrated program efforts.” (Hughes, 191) There are all types of people with different ethnic, social and economic backgrounds. There are people with disabilities and people with different beliefs and adjusting to different diverse people can be something very difficult but will help students, especially for the future.
        Safety is such a big concern for parents and students whenever their child is leaving home, however Arizona State has incorporated safety cameras and censors all throughout the dormitory. Not just any person can enter the building, only a person with a sun card, who specifically lives in the dormitory. The card must be waved across the censor in order to enter the building and into the separate area where all the rooms are located. There are also cameras installed throughout the building and in the elevators, making sure that students are constantly safe. There is also only one door that can be used to enter the building and there is always a community assistant at the front desk, making sure that everyone coming in is a resident and that everything is running smoothly. Outside the dormitories are also many grey boxes with blue buttons all over the light poles. These buttons are used to directly call the police and ambulance. This is just another way that the North Campus environment helps promote safety for students.

Palo Verde Main

[Source: Jullisa Sanchez]

 
        Located in the central area of the dormitories is Palo Verde Main. At the heart of PV Main are “Devils Greens”, “Devils Bistro” and the “Devils Diner”. This is such a significant location amongst the residents because it is their main food source at the dorms for PV West, East and Main. Since students do not have much time, nor room to cook inside their small dormitories it is essential that a variety of food restaurants be provided. It is in walking distance from all the dorms and open late, which is particularly convenient to students.  The variety of food makes PV Main such a success because it provides food for many different tastes. “Devils Greens” serves very healthy food such as: fruit, salads, soups and vegetables. The “Devils Bistro” is an Italian style restaurant that serves various types of pizzas, green beans, rice, and a different Italian pasta everyday such as: fettucine, spaghetti, lasagna and much more. Of the three, the “Devils Diner” contains the most variety and is very popular amongst students, serving: chicken, burgers, pancakes, waffles, quesadillas, desserts and much more. The diner has a 1950’s theme, and provides booths and tables for seating. It also has a jukebox that allows individuals to listen to music while enjoying a delicious meal.
        Eating is affordable and easy at Arizona State because there are various meal plans to choose from. The meal plans allow residents to eat without having to worry about making or buying food. The plans allow residents to customize how much they want to eat and how much they are willing to pay. 
        Palo Verde Main is more than just a place to eat, but also a dormitory. It is a place where students can relax, be with friends and socialize amongst each other. Since the residents are all separated based on their major; all of the engineers reside in the PVM residence hall. This is of great benefit to these students because many of them are taking similar or the same classes, which can motivate them to study and work together to do better academically.

Palo Verde West

[Source: Jullisa Sanchez]

        Palo Verde West is a large dormitory located on Arizona State University at the North of campus. It is co-ed and open at all hours for students to come and go as they please. The dorm is equipped with air conditioning and basic cable. It also has elevators and ramps because it is handicap friendly. Part of being a resident includes free laundry facilities and vending machines filled with delicious snacks. Although students have a cafeteria available, each floor of Palo Verde West has a community kitchen. It is well equipped with a fridge, stove, microwave and sink. Residents can use the kitchen at any time, making it a great convenience for them. Not only is it a kitchen, but it also serves as a lounge. It has couches and tables for residents to “hangout” or study.
        Academics are a big priority within the community of the dorms at Arizona State and for that reason they recently built the “Sun Spot”, on the first level of the residence hall. It is right at the entrance of the building and has become a second home to many students. The “Sun Spot” has several new computers inside, large televisions and whiteboards in order for students to surf the web, study, and work on homework. It is also a great environment for residents to have “study group” time and to work on projects together. The hub is another academic resource found right outside of Palo Verde West, which is the Learning Resource Center. It is a place to seek tutoring for various subjects, a place for academic advising and a writing center. It is very convenient for residents to be able to walk over for academic support and guidance.
        On many occasions residents are left with questions and concerns; sometimes they just need support, a friend or even some motivation and that is where the community assistants play their role in a students’ life. There are several community assistants living on every floor and are always there for academic and emotional support. Their doors are usually open, welcoming others ready to answer questions and help individuals with any issues. They are upperclassmen who are all very aware of how the dorms work and how the school runs; they are knowledgeable about resources found on campus, events, clubs and general information overall. Floor meetings and specific events are arranged by the assistants; creating a good sense of community by helping residents meet each other and engage in conversation.     

North Campus

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        Many students across the U.S. every year debate on whether they believe they should live in the dormitories at the university or whether they should not.  One thing that really needs to be taken into consideration is whether or not the community around the dormitories are providing the required resources in order to achieve academic success, to help students feel comfortable and to help them become social; all while having an enjoyable time. The resources around a dormitory are of crucial importance and that is one of the most substantial qualities to take into account before making such a significant decision. The study resources, entertainment, safety, convenience and academic support found while living on the North Campus is what makes living in the dormitory worthwhile at Arizona State University.
        The main goal of the staff, community assistants and dormitory directors at Arizona State University is to see the residents of the North Campus excel academically and for that reason they have provided all the necessary resources in order to do so. There are study resources found inside the dormitories themselves and there are hubs that have been built to provide writing centers and tutors for students. There are people dedicated to help students, along with new technologies that have been provided by ASU, specifically for the residents inside of their halls. “Students living in dormitories have more opportunities and incentives to do well because they [are] more involved in campus activities, had more contact with faculty, did better academically and [are] more satisfied with college life” (Astin, 7).
        The community assistants provide entertainment through events, meetings and challenges. They constantly provide holiday cheer by brightly decorating the walls of the buildings with banners, posters, calendars and props. Outside the dorm there are always fliers being posted of upcoming events, as well as events taking place outside. There are so many activities always happening inside the dormitories, the hubs and “the beach.” Being a resident brings forth many opportunities to become involved and to be informed about what is happening on campus at all times.
        Safety is a main concern for everyone, especially while living on North Campus. The North Campus is filled with emergency buttons in case of emergencies and is always being watched after. The dormitories are always locked and are only accessible to residents with the proper passkey to ensure students safety.
        The convenience of living on campus makes being a resident even more enjoyable. Everything is close by and everything is available. Food is available to students within walking distance. Tutors, resources and buildings are all close by making the overall community easily accessible to every resident. The location of North Campus is one of the best locations because it is located on a main street of the university and it is right next to the stadium. It is also across the street from the campus and connected by a bridge. It is easy to get to class, most importantly, and there is no hassle, nor traffic.
        When thinking of dormitories most people automatically think of On the contrary, residential life goes far beyond that with its benefits and its resources found all around. A student living on campus will benefit in various aspects.
        Students living on campus receive a substantial amount of support. Emotional support is something that is very much needed by residents. It can be stressful and overwhelming moving into a new place and meeting so many different people, however with the right support it can be easy and fun. The community assistants have been trained for several weeks prior to move in, in order to receive the training needed to help residents. They can help by giving advice and motivating. They help students by also redirecting them to other sources, which students may have not known were available.
        Becoming and feeling apart of the Arizona State Community is important in so many ways. It can boost some ones self-esteem, help someone be friendlier and be a support as well. It can make a student feel involved, and help students feel productive. There are so many events, clubs, groups and sports available to students however it is so much easier to become involved if one is a resident. Students who live on campus can eat outside their dorm and meet new people, they can socialize in the cafeteria or inside the hub. There are so many more opportunities for residents, which makes living on campus very beneficial.
        There is a multitude of personalities living in the dorms, making it vital for one to adjust. After living in the dorms it is evident that one can basically adjust to mostly anything because one has already shared their belongings, a room and their food. There are many different cultural backgrounds and much diversity in dormitories, along with people obtaining different morals and beliefs. It may be difficult to adjust however it does change a person by helping them reach further out than their comfort zones in order to become more familiar with the outside world. “[Someone is] better prepared to live and work within other types of communities, apartment complexes, retirement villages, sports teams, military or other service units, communities of worship, retreats, etc. [after living in a dormitory]” (DeVillers, 178).
        North Campus provides all the necessary qualities and resources needed in order to be a successful student. Dormitories are well equipped and made specifically to integrate an academic and social environment for residents. The residence halls provide a great pathway for students to grow up and become adults in the “real world.” It is a good transition from living at home, to living alone and becoming completely independent. There is also a great support in knowing that all the residents are making this huge transition together and everyone is maturing and growing throughout the experience. This is of great significance because students need to feel at home, yet gain their independence all while receiving the “college experience”.