One of the integral features of the Colgate University housing experience is the ability to select your residence in your last two years at college. While first-years and sophomores live in on-campus residence halls, upperclassmen can choose between several options, such as townhouses or apartment complexes. Perhaps the most distinctive option open to them, however, are the Broad Street residences, which house not only Greek life organizations but also themed houses.

There are a variety of reasons why students choose to live in the Broad Street houses. Junior Paul Lynch, who is currently living at the environmentally themed house at 70 Broad Street, known to some students as “The Loj,” highlighted the social reasons for his choice.

“In all the theme houses, a big pull factor is the community. You really get a sense of community that can’t be replicated in the dorms or in the university apartments,” Lynch said. “The Loj, in particular, means a lot to me because I was able to come in there with a lot of people who had similar interests with me.”

Lynch also discussed his living situation compared to a dorm. He noted that the bathrooms are superior to what he had experienced living at 113 Broad Street for his first two years. He also discussed how 70 Broad Street’s residents took advantage of the house’s kitchen to prepare their own meals. While those aspects of his living situation are distinct from the dorms, Lynch still lives with a roommate, which he considers a plus.

“I really enjoy having a roommate. I think it’s kind of a unique aspect of the college experience,” Lynch said.

Yiduo He, a senior who lives at the Asian Interest House at 118 Broad Street, also mentioned the community experience but particularly highlighted the advantages his theme house offered for his quieter living style.

“What I really wanted [was] to have a theme house [without] that many residents,” He said.

He also appreciates the freedom the Asia House grants him to cook on his own, as well as the fact that he has a single and his own bathroom.

“This is an ideal situation for me because I don’t want to share my bathroom with someone else because there are hygiene concerns,” He said.

Lindsey Schwartzman, a junior, expressed similar reasons to He for choosing to live in a theme house. Schwartzman lives at 110 Broad Street, also known as the Interfaith House.

“My general impression is quiet. And that’s what I wanted because I’m a quiet person,” Schwartzman said.

Schwartzman chose the Interfaith House both for the social atmosphere and to support her religious beliefs.

“I try to keep kosher, so I needed an area where I could store a lot of food, […] and that’s what the Interfaith House has given to me. The kitchen is a kosher kitchen and the rooms are very large, so I can store as much as I want there,” she said.

While many underclassmen may initially be apprehensive about living somewhere that requires climbing the hill every day to go to class, a majority of Broad Street residents seem to see living down the hill as an advantage.

“I’m near my sorority house, the town, the gym — I’m near everything. I think it’s a prime location,” Schwartzman said.

He expressed similar sentiments about his experience at the Asian Interest House, which is directly adjacent to the athletic complexes and across from the 113 Broad Street dorms. 

“I think the location of Asia House is ideal because it’s right across [from] Huntington [Gymnasium] and it’s very easy to get to, say, Alumni Hall, which is just five minutes away,” He said.

Even in houses closer to town and with a longer walk to campus, Broad Street residents find their locations to be more convenient than problematic. Rebecca Viner, a senior living in a sorority house, appreciates the benefits of her current location compared to campus.

“I love living so close to town. As a senior, most of my friends live either in apartments in town, in houses nearby or in my sorority house, so I am actually very close to many of my close friends, even if I am farther from campus,” Viner said.

Lynch, in a similar vein of thought, noted that the location of houses, such as 70 Broad Street farther down the road, was not at all an issue.

“They’re all in a very premier location because they’re kind of straddled just halfway between downtown and campus,” Lynch said.

Though many may expect living off-campus to separate people from the college, Lynch suggested that it might actually bring them more fully in tune with the campus.

“What’s been really special for me is that I get to walk down Willow Path any time I want to go up the hill,” Lynch said. 

Lynch, who chose to live at 70 Broad Street in part because of its ties to Outdoor Education, of which he is a member, may be more enthusiastic about physical activity than some of us. Still, there is no denying that any chance to stroll through Willow Path is a wonderful opportunity to connect to the natural beauty of Colgate’s campus.

Of course, it is still possible to walk down Willow Path, no matter where you live at Colgate. Nor is it impossible to find strong communities, quiet spaces or available places to cook. But for those of you to whom those opportunities sound particularly appealing, a house on Broad Street might be the place for you next year.