A guide to PLU Dorm Life

Hey everyone – It’s Megan!

For this week’s blogpost, I want to give our readers a sense of what it is like to live on campus. Although I have moved off-campus now, I spent my first year at PLU in a residence hall(s), and there is plenty to unpack! First off, I wanted to address one of the most asked questions we receive at the International Student Center: “Should I live on-campus or off-campus?”. This might not be a relevant question for domestic students, as nearly all first-year undergraduates are required to live in a PLU residence hall. That being said, a lot of international students come to PLU at different stages of their life, so having some insight might help make the decision easier! In general, I highly recommend living in a dorm for at least a year before moving to off-campus housing. This is simply because it is the most effortless way of integrating yourself with the PLU community. Living with a roommate, or with other people around, provides you with instant connections on campus, and makes the college transition a lot easier.

I remember being accepted into PLU, and having to apply to different residence halls I wanted to live in. This was an overall chaotic time for me, and not knowing anything about PLU or the campus prior to coming here – I was lost. So, if you are interested in knowing more about the different residence halls on campus, and what the atmosphere of living on-campus is like: keep reading!

Upper campus & Lower campus

Most of the residence halls are located on what we call “upper campus”, meaning that they are by the University center, the library, and the majority of academic buildings on campus. However, Pflueger and Tinglestad are located on “lower campus”, which makes them closer to the gym and various athletic fields. This divide has an impact on the atmospheres of living on lower vs. upper campus, which is nice to keep in mind if you are unsure about where you would thrive. Of course, my assessment is not a universal opinion, but sometimes it’s nice to hear from students who have some insight.

In general, upper campus is more laid-back and peaceful. Because the theater, art, and music department are located on upper campus, a lot of the students who live here have creative interests and major in the arts. In a similar rationale, a lot of lower campus residents are on athletic teams, because of the close proximity to the gym, swimming pool, and fields. T-stad and Pfleuger also have a lot of first-year students, which makes these two halls a little more energetic and lively. 

PLU Residence Halls: What are they like?

Now that you have a better understanding of the campus layout, we can explore the individual residence halls a little further.

Harstad Hall

Harstad hall is the oldest building on campus, and used to be the only building on campus. I lived in Harstad for the first part of my freshman year, and I really liked it because of the location – it’s situated in the heart of campus. Harstad also has the largest rooms of campus, but they differ in size and are not as uniform as other dorm rooms. This building has a bunch of charm, but also some inconveniences given its age: It’s hot. Like “tank tops in December”-hot. Other than that, Harstad is also the only dorm on campus that is not co-ed. PLU has initiated some residence hall programs in the spirit of women’s empowerment and health, and similar themes are represented throughout the halls of Harstad. A good fit for you if you are passionate about gender equality, would enjoy living in an all-girls dorm, or want to host game-nights in some of the largest rooms on campus.

Hinderlie Hall

Hinderlie hall is widely associated with creativity, and is known to have an energetic and familiar feel to it. Some of my friends who have lived there felt as though the hall was very quiet, with most people keeping to themselves. That being said, that was their experience and should not be considered a general statement. The overall reputation of this hall is that it is home to a lot of creative souls – which makes sense as it is located near the art department, with music and theater hubs close by. This space for creative expression has created an atmosphere among the residents that fosters friendships rooted in common interests. This hall is also home to one of the Inclusive wings on campus, which provides a safe and inclusive community to everyone in the wing. A good fit for you if you know your way with a brush, you’re social, and you like to embrace your inner artist!

Hong Hall

Hong Hall is located in the middle of upper campus, and is home to an array of nationalities and backgrounds. This hall is separated into “global engagement houses”, which are basically “themed” wings. There’s the Chinese, French, German, Norwegian, Spanish and the International Honors program wing. This is one of the smaller dorms on campus, and is consequently known for its tight-knit community amongst residents. This is also home to the Language Resource Center, so the global theme is represented throughout. The majority of residents here benefit from a supportive space that challenges them to master different languages and familiar with international issues. This hall is a good fit for you if you consider yourself laid-back, you’re interested in improving a language skill, or you just like a global environment.

  

Kreidler Hall

If you’re looking for more independence – Kreidler is the spot for you! This building has been converted into a residence hall sporting only single rooms, and houses around 60 residents across three floors. This is more of an autonomous space because you must be 20 years or older (or have junior status) to live here. There are no visitation limits in this hall, and you are also allowed to have alcohol in your room if you are of age. Kreidler has a reputation of being quiet, mostly because residents are upperclassmen and are wanting more privacy after sharing a space for 2+ years with roommates. Kreidler is a good fit for you if you are more relaxed, like your privacy, and you meet the 20+/Junior standing requirements.

Ordal Hall

Ordal is one of the nicest residence halls. This is because it is the most newly renovated hall, and sometimes I would ask friends in Ordal to hang out in their room purely because the hall is way nicer. It has a prime location, as it is located just steps away from the Admin building, as well as the music building and Ingram (Art & Communication building). A special feature of this hall is that residents have card access, which eliminates the need for keys to get into your room. Coming from the girl who lost her room key 3 times last year – swipe access sounds great! Ordal doesn’t really have any overarching theme, and I would say it is the most universal environment on campus. A good fit for you if you lose your keys easily, want to get your money’s worth out of housing prices, or you just don’t feel like any other hall screams your name.

Pflueger Hall

Pflueger is another diverse hall where no particular vibe is characteristic of the hall or the residents. You can find anything from accounting to literature majors, and people who live here are involved in many different types of clubs and campus organizations. However, this is one of the two dorms located on lower campus (excluding South Hall), which in itself presents a different environment. It is close to the basketball and tennis courts, sand volleyball pit, the fitness center and the swimming pool, so if you like being active this is a convenient location for you! My personal assessment of Pfleuger residents is that they seem really socially connected within the hall and share a sense of community, which is not the case for all dorms on campus. So, if you’re social, active and/or wanting to experience the more upbeat dorm experience – Pfleuger is a good fit for you!

Stuen Hall

Stuen is actually the smallest dorm on campus, but like they advertise: “good things come in small packages”. This hall also went through renovations recently, so the rooms and common spaces are in good shape. I have friends who live in Stuen, and they tell me that they like this hall because of the size and familiar atmosphere. It is similar to Hinderlie in that sense, but does not really carry on the creativity emphasis. However, Stuen is a community that is connected to the Diversity, Justice and Sustainability Community, where they emphasize the power of knowing yourself and actively pursuing positive change. With their inspirational core, I think Stuen is a great hall for people who are passionate about social justice, enjoy smaller communities, and want to live in a chill residence hall.

 

 

Tingelstad Hall (T-stad)

The last hall I am going to give you all an overview of is Tingelstad Hall, affectionately called T-stad amongst lutes. This is the hall I lived in for the majority of my first-year, after moving from Harstad. I chose to move to T-stad because the general setting and mood of this hall fit my personality the most. This is why I think it’s so important to research the halls prior to applying for a room – PLU has a space for everyone, you just need to find out where you are the most comfortable. T-stad is the biggest dorm on campus, and even the tallest building in campus with 9 floors! Around 360 students live here, and the location (lower campus) makes it ideal for students who are interested in pursuing extracurricular activities. Just like Pflueger, T-stad is close to the gym, tennis courts, swimming pool, etc., and this is where the majority of student athletes live. I would say this is the most “exciting” and energetic dorm on campus, which can be both a good and bad thing depending on what you’re after. T-stad is also home to the other gender inclusive wing on campus, which is located on the 6^th floor. Tingelstad Hall is a good fit for you if you are social, athletic, and don’t mind a little commotion now and again.

This was actually my (single) dorm room in T-stad last year! I loved it!

Alright, that was my guide to PLU dorm life! I hope this was helpful to some of you out there whether you are just interested in what dorm life can be like in the states, or if you are interested in PLU in particular. I hope you all have an amazing weekend, take care!

- Megan