Dorm Life-- Here's the scoop on Western's dorms

Key: Each dorm has a star rating which indicates how cool & fun it is. One stars means this dorm is lame, and five stars means this dorm is LEGIT!

WWU Residences Tour

Ridgeway Commons aka "The Ridge" (the fun dorms)
  • Alpha- Houses both men and women in single, double and triple rooms entered from interior corridors. There are community bathrooms that serve the students of the same gender living on each floor. All of Alpha is designated as alcohol-free (lame), for students who make a commitment to refrain from using or supporting the use of alcohol while in residence.  This dorm traditionally houses the "non-partiers" and people who like to have good, clean, fun. If you want a more lively place to live, look elsewhere. Rating: *
  • Beta- Beta is a non-traditional style hall, housing most residents in four room suites with double rooms that share a bathroom in the middle (which is a good place to have a mini party). Each room has its own exterior door. Beta is known as a party dorm since living with 8 people is already a party in itself! Since this dorm doesn't have hallways it's easier to get up to "no good" here. Beta is a really fun place to live. Rating: *****
  • Delta- Delta Hall houses both men and women in single, double and triple rooms in a traditional, interior corridor setting. There is a community bathroom that serves the students of the same gender living on each floor. Delta is in the middle of the Ridge so it sees a lot of action! It's also a pretty good place to live. Rating: ***
  • Gamma- Non-traditional style hall, housing most residents in four room suites with double rooms that share a bathroom. Each room has its own exterior door. Gamma's four-room suite design creates a fun & friendly atmosphere. Gamma is the same style of dorm of Beta, but isn't as much of a party dorm. One bad thing about Gamma is that it's kind of in the boonies, it's at the very south end of the Ridge, which can be annoying and creepy in the dark. Rating: ***
  • Highland- Houses residents in double room suites in a quiet environment. Highland is located at the north end of the Ridge near Carver Gym. The suite-style living has two double bedrooms connected by a common bathroom, and each bedroom has its own exterior door accessed from outside covered hallways. Highland is kind of off in its own little area. The set-up style of this dorm is weird, and most students here aren't into the party scene. Rating: **
  • Kappa- Kappa has single, double, and some triple rooms. The floors are separated by guys and girls, which kind of makes it not as fun. The dorm is also separated into two wings, so that can be kind of annoying because you have to go to the main floor to go up. The second floor of Kappa is alcohol-free.  Kappa is next door to the tennis/basketball court as well as the dining hall and market which is nice! If you want to get involved with student council, Kappa is a good place to do it. Kappa's basement has it's own washer and dryers and ping-pong table, TV, kitchen, and Foosball. Rating: ****
  • Omega- Houses both men and women in single, double and triple rooms in a traditional, interior corridor setting. There is a community bathroom that serves the students of the same gender living on each floor. Omega faces south and the morning sun. This dorm overlooks campus behind the Rec center. This dorm doesn't have their own washer and dryer and shares one with a different dorm. This dorm is sort of a party dorm. Rating: ***
  • Sigma- Houses residents in single, double and triple rooms, in a traditional, interior corridor setting. There is a community bathroom that serves the students of the same gender living on each floor. This dorm also overlooks south campus and some rooms have  a nice view. This dorm isn't really a party dorm but is nice. Rating: **
North Campus
  • Edens- Edens Hall houses residents in double and triple rooms. It consists of suites, with two rooms connected by a bathroom. Rooms are accessed from interior corridors and arranged in suite style. All of Edens Hall is designated as a quiet area. Upper class men usually live here if they decide to live in the dorms (which I don't recommend). This dorm is a quiet area for people who are solely focused on school and don't engage in drinking or partying.   Rating: *

  • Mathes- Mathes Hall houses women and men on separate floors in double-occupancy rooms with interior corridors. Alcohol-free floors house half of the students in the building. This dorm has great views if you're on the side that faces Bellingham Bay and the rooms are pretty big. However, this dorm is so far north that it's kind of far away. If you want to party, don't live here, but if you aren't into that scene it's a nice dorm. Rating: **
  • Higginson- Higginson Hall houses residents in suites (two double rooms sharing a private bathroom). It offers traditional residence hall living with neighbors sharing outside, covered hallways. Two of the floors are alcohol-free. This dorm is also north campus and far away from a lot of campus activities and buildings, and it's typically not a party dorm. Rating: **
  • Nash-Nash Hall houses women and men on separate floors in single, double and triple occupancy rooms with interior corridors. Nash has an active hall council, a fun way for new and enthusiastic members to get involved and make a difference in the community. Accommodations for mobility impaired students are available. This dorm also has nice views of Bellingham Bay if you're on the bay side. However, the entire dorm is alcohol free, so if you want to party, don't live here because you'll get in big trouble by the RA's! Rating: **
South Campus
  • Buchanan Towers aka "BT"- Buchanan Towers houses both men and women in double and triple room suites, and each unit includes a kitchenette, bathroom, and two bedrooms that are shared with suitemates. This building connects suites by indoor hallways. Something cool about BT is that these dorms are more like little apartments. There is also a new addition to BT and looks really nice! However, BT is so far south campus and really far away from civilization, and the rest of campus and dining halls. If you don't mind being excluded, this is a cool place to live. Rating: ****