Closer walks to most classes, non-communal bathrooms, more socially connected floors, and Glen’s greeting at the dining hall. These are all things that the Mahoney-Pearson Residential Colleges bring to the table.
The freshman community at UM is greatly divided into two groups: Mahoney-Pearson and Centennial Village. While the system for who got which dorm was completely random, the residents have seemingly been categorized as the students who “won” and got Centennial. Those who got Mahoney or Pearson are not the losers. What Mahoney-Pearson lacks in sterile, hotel styled rooms, it makes up for with character and community.
As someone who has lived in 11 houses throughout my life, I always had a checklist when picking what room to live in. My priorities were always set on the room’s size, my own bathroom and the closet size.
Centennial’s rooms are 200 square feet, compared to Mahoney/Pearson’s which are 240 square feet. There is also a more evident choice when it comes to the bathroom situation.
Mahoney-Pearson’s bathrooms offer complete privacy, with space to leave your toothbrush, hair products and body wash. The location of the bathroom being a couple steps from bed is supreme for brushing teeth on late nights, and is a major time saver for mornings when you are almost late to class. In contrast, Centennial’s bathrooms are communal, meaning not only can you not leave personal items there, but also you will never know the condition of the bathroom before walking into it.
Sophia Clark, an Ibis resident, said that Centennial’s location is not always the most convenient.
“I like that it is located closer to the gym, because if I lived in Pearson I don’t think I would be as motivated to go, but it does suck because it’s far from my classes” said Clark.
On the other hand, Pearson resident Shannon Brickley loves living in Mahoney-Pearson specifically for the proximity to her campus obligations.
“I love the location because when I accidentally sleep in too late, I have such a short walk to class, and to be honest I don’t mind the walk to the gym, I use it as a warmup of sorts,” she said.
Brickley also appreciates the community she has built in Pearson and doesn’t feel that her friends in Centennial benefit from the same built-in social scene. She detailed how she is close with all of the people in her hall and how she feels welcome to walk into her neighbors’ rooms at any time.
“I love that my floor is social and that there is a huge community within the dorm. A lot of my friends in Centennial have said that they don’t get that feeling in their hall,” Brickley said.
Despite not loving her walk to class, Sophia still prefers living in Centennial because “it just feels fresher, like the air feels cleaner.”
Admittedly, living in Centennial feels like living in a hotel. But who really wants to live in a hotel for a year?
Pearson resident Shannon Brickley said that Mahoney-Pearson “has the appeal of more space, private bathrooms and a welcoming dorm culture at tne end of the day.”
If you are a Mahoney-Pearson resident struggling to enjoy your dorm room, remind yourself that no sleek lobby can compare with the feeling of belonging — or to the simple joy of a fresh omelet from Glen.