editor's letter

I've been reading WSN's housing guide since before I came to NYU.

When I was a senior in high school, I found that year's guide on WSN's website. The links to the articles were broken, but I was diligent and had a little too much free time: I hunted them down by searching the paper's archives and read up on each freshman dorm.

I made my pick almost entirely based on WSN's reviews; I wound up in Rubin residence hall and loved it.

Granted, it seems like more people than not love their freshman dorm, whichever one they wind up in. But that isn't true after freshman year, and NYU's housing system is confusing. There are about 20 dorms to pick from, each offering a unique experience with a unique combination of benefits and bummers. Some are small enough that you probably don't know anyone who lives there. And there isn't one right choice: I've met rabid fans of reviled dorms, and I've talked to people who hate the dorms that always fill up first.

A lot of it comes down to your personality. And that's where we step in.

We can't read your mind. But we can try to tell you what each dorm is like, honestly and objectively, from people who've lived there. If you want a true common room, don't apply for Carlyle; if you want one of the coolest addresses in Manhattan - Union Square West - do. If you want a gym and dining hall in your building, apply for Palladium; if you want a huge room, don't. (Huge rooms are Water Street. But watch the commute: You'll put in your fair share of time on the NYU bus.)

We can only give you so much in a short 200-word review. But we've tried to make sure you have the most crucial in- formation to help you make those decisions.

If you're moving off campus, flip to the back of the magazine, where we told you a little about some of the most popular neighborhoods students move to. Many people leave the dorms after their sophomore year, when they realize that they can pay less per month for a bigger, better apart- ment, often with a room of your own and always with no RAs to break up your parties. (The per-month thing doesn't mean it's actually cheaper: Most leases are for one year, in- cluding the summer, and you have to buy furniture and put down a security deposit. But what you get can be better enough to make it worth it.)

Which brings me back to high school: I remember people asking me if I would live on campus, and I said of course, for all four years. New York City apartments are too expensive; it's only affordable because of the dorms, I told them.

Now, I live happily off campus, and it's increasingly clear I had absolutely no idea what I was talking about. (I hope that's not true now, but ask me in three years.) I only knew one thing: why Rubin was the right dorm for me.

That's why we put this issue out. I hope you find it as useful as I once did.

- Adam Playford, editor-in-chief