A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of writing a blog about some of my favorite, most frequently-visited dorms on campus. My excitement, however, pushed me far beyond what I could have reasonably expected from a review of Swarthmore’s nineteen residence halls. Thus, while Part 1 was able to cover eight different buildings, this review should hopefully be able to complete this anecdotal collection.
Reiteration of Notes:
- Everyone has their own likes and dislikes about each dorm. My experience is not representative of how every single person feels about these buildings, especially for the ones that I have not been a long-term resident in. This is just an account of my personal experiences and opinions!
- These dorms all have the same basic amenities (kitchens, lounges, vending machines, restrooms, furniture, etc), so absences of mention does not indicate lack of existence.
- Every room in every building is different!! Just because I recount a specific feature does not mean that every room will include it.
My Most Visited Dorms (Pt. 2):
Pittenger Hall:
Pitt became one of my go-to study locations last semester, specifically due to its proximity to the athletic facilities and its abundance of little nooks and crannies to study in. The rooms here are big and have a grand feeling to them. Also, the vending machines are highly accessible during pit stops into/around the dorm. It seems like it is more on the lively side, but that likely changes each year based on the dorm’s residents.
Mary Lyons Hall:
ML!! This dorm has such an interesting, unique appearance. The main lounge is unlike anything I have seen before, simply because of its scale. There is a counter in this room where the dorm residents can collect breakfast from the Sunday breakfast cooks—a distinct benefit of this building. It is also the furthest away from central campus (~15-minute walk), so it is good for people who enjoy a bit of an off-campus feel in their residence hall. I learned how to play pool on the table in the frontmost lounge of this building :)).
Crum Ledge:
This is the newest dorm on campus–stationed on the border of the Crum Woods. The ledges’ residents are predominantly groups of friends who have all elected to live in a house together. From the ones that I have visited, there is a quaint living room and kitchen, as well as a little outdoor area. I really enjoy spending time here!! The space feels really intimate, and it is a cute setup for hanging out with friends and relaxing. I anticipate this one becoming of greater interest in the next couple of years. Its view of the woods is also unrivaled.
Kyle House:
This one is a women-only dorm near the backside of campus, around where Woolman is located. In this regard, it has a lot of the same attributes that Woolman had, along with a really cute outdoor space. It feels like a very communal, comfortable place to live. I was here most recently to collect some ingredients from the shared fridge that my friend had offered me. The dorm itself is very well-lit, with each of the rooms possessing its own distinctive anatomy. The epitome of cheerfulness.
Palmer Hall:
Palmer is attached to Pittenger, composing the final third of the PPR (Palmer, Pittenger, and Roberts) complex—not to be confused with NPPR, which also sits in that same area. It has a very castle-like exterior with a quiet, resting interior vibe. Many people regard Palmer and Pittenger interchangeably, as they are connected and share the same lounges, but everyone I know who lives in these dorms seems to have a preference. This one, for me, seems to have a warmer (emotion, not temperature) vibe. The rooms are also a good size.
David Kemp:
DK houses students of all four years and is a really great place for community-building. Many of my friends lived here freshman year, and they would often host movie nights and game nights in the lounges. The entrance lounge has a very tall ceiling that looks up to all of the building’s floors, giving the space a lot of brightness. At the same time, though, it is also distinct in its color. When I first visited, I remember being incredibly surprised by the wall’s red overpainting. The rooms I have visited were big and allowed for space for personal decompression, even with a roommate present.
Alice Paul Hall:
AP is located just next to DK, and was the dorm most recommended to me before I came to Swarthmore from some of the students I had been in touch with. There are lofted rooms in the building, which I know are incredibly sought after, as well as large windows and very comfortable living conditions. I walked through this building for the first time during my large-scale dorm touring during freshman year, and I was really impressed by this building. It was much larger than I had imagined, and was quite fun to navigate. The massive, open lounges, too, were a huge plus for me.
Worth Hall:
The best way I can describe this dorm is “ivy-covered,” though I know that does not make much sense. This is a smaller, quieter dorm with cozy, calm rooms. There always seems to be lots of space for customization within these spaces, both because of the shape and size of the rooms, as I have never seen two bedrooms that look alike in this space. While this dorm is often forgotten, I would definitely consider it a sort of “hidden gem.”
Dana Hall:
Danawell, Dana, and Hallowell all exist within the same complex, meaning my freshman dorm bridged the latter two. I always found the rooms in Dana interesting because the walls used a cement block-like material, meaning that my friends in this dorm always kept their spaces incredibly decorated. Dana also has an all-women’s third floor, which some of my upperclassmen friends chose to live on. The Dana lounges were always my go-to spot for long phone calls, as they were smaller and less open than the Danawell ones.
Hallowell Hall:
Hallowell and Danawell share a lot of the same attributes, but with a slightly different view and a slightly different vibe. Still, I utilized this space for a lot of the same reasons that I utilized Dana–for the lounges and, in the case of Hallowell, the always well-stocked vending machines. The rooms here are really spacious (as are all the rooms in the Danawell complex), and offer, like Dana, cute little features like window seats.
Never Visited:
The Lodges: Individual cottage homes with a 1st floor triple and a 2nd floor double (only 5 occupants per building). I have passed by this area on my route to other dorms, and it is very scenic. It shares a massive courtyard with Worth Hall. However, it is supposedly offline starting Fall 2025. Alas.
Of course, I will never claim to be an expert on dorms at Swarthmore. In fact, my own past experiences tell me that your time living in a building can completely change your perception of it–from the feel of the air to the layout of the halls, coming to know one’s new “home” is a learned experience. However, I remember that having a better understanding of Swarthmore’s dorms from a student’s perspective was among my greatest desires going into both freshman and sophomore years, and I hope my accounts can better aid you in your understanding and selection of the residence halls this institution has to offer!!