Photo by Avery Lewis

This year Mercer University welcomed its largest freshman class ever, totaling over 700 students. Many upperclassmen had to be relocated in order to accommodate the new students, while still maintaining housing for upperclassmen. The dorms for freshmen are also older, and are beginning to show their age.

            Students are required to live on campus their first three years at Mercer. Students are not allowed to live off campus until they are 21. This means that many times seniors that had planned on living on campus their final year, couldn't.

            Avery Lewis, a junior, said, “We had a really big freshman class this year, and as a result a lot of the juniors and seniors didn't find out about their housing assignment until a couple of day before the semester started. A lot of them got told that they didn't have room for them in housing, and they had to find somewhere else to live off campus.”

            Mercer is currently building new lofts on College Street, but these are going to be reserved for upperclassmen, and it does not change the current state of freshman housing.

            “Housing definitely needs to be updated, especially Plunkett,” said freshman Colin Sharpe. “But even if there were just more housing, more variety, it would be better.”

            The nicer housing is reserved for upperclassmen, but the divide between upperclassman and freshman housing is staggering. “I’ve been in Sherwood, and it’s really nice,” Sharpe said. “The lounge is great. The rooms are great.” It is evident where the work has been done on campus.

            “Freshman dorms are a little under par,” said Kyleigh Hucaluk, a freshman woman at Mercer. “We have a hole in the ceiling above our shower covered by a piece of plywood on Dowell second [floor].”

            Living on campus is a great thing though, especially for freshmen. While there are problems with the housing situation, most people enjoy it. Alex Lucas, a freshman, said “I’m pretty happy with housing.” And this sentiment is shared by many others.

Living on campus gives access to events on campus more easily and helps with the adjustment to living alone. By moving into dorm life, there is a bridge in the gap between living with parents, and going out into the world.

Dean Doug Pearson, dean of students, said, “If trends and growth continue, we will probably need to look into more housing. As the dean of students, it feels great, the idea of more students living on campus.”

Although it may be inconvenient at times, most students like the set-up. Even the boys in Plunkett love it, though the building is not up to the best standards.  “Plunk City is great, smell and all,” said Sharpe.

Mercer is already in the process of creating more housing, and as growth continues, so will the effort to build even more.