“Gooch-Dillard? What is that?” I exclaimed, having just received my first-year housing assignment. Excited and confused, I logged onto the U.Va. Class of 2019 group chat and checked to see what others had been assigned. Most people in the chat were going to live in Old Dorms; nevertheless, there was no shortage of opinions on Gooch-Dillard. According to those in the chat, it was a suite-style dorm, a mile away from classes and isolated from the other first-year dorms. On the bright side, it was near Runk, supposedly the best dining hall.
After reading these comments, I was not exactly disappointed, but some of my excitement had faded away. I was not sure if living in a non-traditional dorm would take away from my first-year experience. Nevertheless, now I cannot imagine myself living anywhere else. While living in Dillard has certainly had its disadvantages, it has had a greater positive than negative impact on me overall.
Even though I am now sad that I will soon have to move out of Dillard, on move-in day I could only see its negative aspects. After finally figuring out where the dorm was, my family and I carried all of my supplies up the hill and the several flights of stairs to my room in the blazing August heat. Tired and sweaty, I dreaded having to carry my laundry up and down the stairs on a regular basis.
As the first few weeks of first-year passed on, I came to realize the other disadvantages of living in Dillard. Although I had a hall, I did not have the same hall bonding experiences my friends in other dorms raved about. This made it harder for me to get to know people who were not my suitemates. I also did not like being so far away from Central Grounds. Even if I walked at a good pace, it would take me 10 to 15 minutes to get to my classes.
Despite these negative first impressions, I soon found ways to improve my living experience. While I simply had to get used to climbing the stairs every day, I acquainted myself with the bus system. By the end of my first month, I was riding the bus regularly to get to my classes, saving me a great amount of time and energy. Even though I did not meet two of them until the end of my first semester, I eventually became close friends with several girls who lived in Dillard. I also got to hang out with some of my hallmates several times throughout the year, helping me to see that bonding in Dillard simply took time.
Over the course of my first year, I realized the several benefits of living in Dillard. While it sometimes does not have a wide enough selection of food, I have to agree Runk is the best of the dining halls. It not only serves delicious mac and cheese, brunch and wraps, but also it’s the only dining hall that has late night hours on weekdays. Most importantly, I have rarely eaten something from there I did not like, which I cannot say for the other dining halls.
Although at first I was disappointed not to have a roommate, I have grown to love my single room. I am able to do a number of things, like play my music out loud without worrying about bothering anyone and spend time alone whenever I want. At the same time, I have had many fun experiences with my friends in our common rooms, including sleepovers and movie nights. I also only have to go up a few steps to get to the bathroom and hardly ever have to wait to use the shower.
Overall, living in Dillard has certainly made my first-year experience unique and memorable. Despite its negative stereotype, I eventually learned to see past its disadvantages and appreciate the good things it has to offer. This lesson can be applied to the many changes one may experience throughout one’s college career. From living situations to classes, one should not succumb to negative stereotypes before trying something new but instead embrace new things with a positive and open mindset. It’s important to recognize the good in the midst of difficulties and enjoy the new experience for what it is. Therefore, I strongly encourage the incoming first-years who will soon be assigned to live in Gooch-Dillard not to let any negative stereotypes diminish their excitement about coming to U.Va. Despite its downsides, Gooch-Dillard is worth giving a chance.
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