University of Massachusetts Amherst

Residential areas

Students living on the UMass campus live in one of the five residential areas: Southwest, Central, Orchard Hill, Northeast and Sylvan.

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Southwest

Southwest is the largest residential area, and it houses two of the four campus dining commons. While some would call it "sweet" others would call it "ghetto". It is composed of five identical 22-story towers (Kennedy, Coolidge, John Quincy Adams, John Adams and Washington) and many smaller buildings, holding a total of around 5,500 students. Southwest houses over 50% of the students living on campus. Longtime residents of Southwest state that living in SW is like living in an entirely separate city -- this high-density, high-volume population is possibly the most diverse region of campus; socially, ethnically, anyone can find a niche (although cross-campus fist shakers might call them all chicken/meatheads). Perhaps because there are so many students in so little space, Southwest is prone to having uncontrolled parties. In recent years, when the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees, the courtyard was filled with students celebrating. Some of them eventually took to flipping cars; others the police beat up and arrested.

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Northeast

As the name suggests, Northeast is located on the opposite side of campus from Southwest. The residential area consists of nine buildings assembled in a rectangle surrounding a grassy quad. With smaller buildings, Northeast tends to be one of the quieter areas.

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Buildings of note in Northeast include Knowlton, an all female dorm, Hamlin, an all male dorm, and Lewis, a dorm which allows students to live there for 9 months out of the year.

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Northeast's proximity to the engineering department have given it the reputation as being one of the more low-key residential areas on campus, but also one where students under the stress of difficult studies enjoy letting off steam. For many years, on one night each spring during finals week, an impromptu gathering of students takes place in the field between the halls - The Quad. Once the students have been outside for a short time, loosely organized streaking takes place.

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Sylvan

Sylvan is in the woods a short way up the road from Northeast. Rooms in Sylvan are arranged into 6 to 8-person suites. It is considered one of the smallest areas on campus and has a reputation for being relatively quiet and rather boring. However, many students choose to live in suites with their friends and have parties in the common room, breaking the myth that "Sylvanites" are unsociable and non-partiers. Residents in Sylvan enjoy a private bathroom in each suite containing two or three toilets, two sinks, and one shower.

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Central

Central is located up the hill on the east side of campus, and has nine residence halls. Student and local bands frequently play in Central. Central is divided into three parts: upper (Butterfield and Van Meter Halls), middle (Baker, Chadbourne, Greenough Halls), and lower (Gorman, Brett, Brooks, and Wheeler Halls). Butterfield Hall is now an all freshman dorm, but it once housed upperclassmen and was known for its parties and drug use. After a few mishaps from the junior and senior residents, the interior was practically rebuilt and designated for incoming freshman. Generally speaking, central is known as "Hippie Central" because of the laid-back environment and the abundant access to good marijuana. A popular event known as "fill the hill" takes place on the big hill between central and orchard hill every spring. Mainly local bands play at "fill the hill", and the usual crowd of musicians, frisbee players, tanners and hippies party all night. Central is also home to the Greeno Sub Shop which offers decent food at a decent price.

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Orchard Hill

The Orchard Hill residence area is north of Central, and has four residence halls: Dickinson, Grayson, Webster, and Field. Orchard Hill is known for its yearly spring event, Bowl Weekend. Many students from the honors program have been known to reside in Orchard Hill.

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Orchard Hill also refers to the hill on which the Orchard Hill Observatory and a cell phone tower are located. The cell phone tower also supports a microwave relay system for internet and land phone service at the Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory, located on a peninsula within the Quabbin Reservoir (according to Dr. Ronald Snell, UMass Amherst Astronomy Department chair, circa 2003).

Related Topics:
Observatory - Cell phone tower - Internet - Phone - Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory - Quabbin Reservoir

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