With Loyola’s Chicago backdrop, dorm life fits into a big-city feel, as reported by Ashley Viager ’10:
“Living on campus at Loyola comes with some fun and exciting experiences: floor activities, residence hall events (like throwing pies at the not-so-popular RAs), meeting tons of new people when a fire alarm goes off at 2:00 a.m., learning to do laundry with other residents, and even participating in some intense floor wars after which the losers find condoms on their doorknobs! College life just doesn’t seem complete without roommate horror stories or finding random, gross things in the communal bathrooms.
A large number of Loyola freshmen are placed in Mertz Hall, one of five freshman dorms. The nineteen-story traditional residence hall, housing 650 students, overlooks Lake Michigan and the city. From some rooms, the view is truly amazing. Each single-gender floor has air-conditioned singles and doubles and community-style bathrooms. Mertz is definitely a good choice for students who do not mind living in a dorm that knows how to have fun: ‘Mertz till it hurtz’ is the proud catchphrase of its residents, and it provides a social and communal environment where doors are usually open. Its convenient location above the Centennial Forum Student Union makes it the hub of campus activities. Mertz is also located above Lake Shore Dining Hall, one of two dining halls on campus, and the Rambler Room, a popular hangout for hungry students.
The newest freshman residence on campus, Regis Hall, is another popular choice. Somewhat resembling a hotel, Regis houses 414 students and comes with air-conditioned single and double rooms. Students especially like Regis because each room has a private bathroom (be warned: students have to clean the bathrooms themselves). Laundry facilities, spacious lounges with flat-screen TVs, and study areas are located on each floor. Across the street is Simpson Living Learning Center, a five-story freshman hall housing 409 residents. The single and double suite-style rooms have semi-private bathrooms, and each floor provides laundry facilities and study/TV lounges with kitchenettes. Unlike most freshman halls, Simpson gives students the chance to cook when they feel the need to escape repetitive cafeteria meals. Also, because laundry facilities are on every floor, Simpson residents don’t have to lug weeks’ worth of dirty clothes farther than down the hall. The ground floor includes Simpson Dining, a market, and a multipurpose room where seminars, meetings, activities, and even concerts are held. Most agree that undergrads who live in Simpson and Regis might not feel as close to their fellow residents as do those living in Mertz Hall. The floor plans of Regis and Simpson, although more aesthetically pleasing, can seem closed and empty, making it hard for people to socialize in comparison to Mertz’s community-centered floors and lounges. Regis and Simpson are quieter and more conducive to studying, and you’re more likely to find closed doors in these dorms. Mertz can be pretty rowdy, especially the men’s floors, which have been known to host weekly Man Law meetings or hours-long sessions of Halo Live.
There are also a number of residence halls for sophomores and upperclassmen to choose from. The most popular on the Lake Shore Campus is Fordham Hall, a sixteen-story high-rise apartment building housing over 350 students on coed floors. This hall is limited to juniors and seniors and features apartments for two or four students. Each unit includes its own kitchen and private bathrooms, and the east side of the building provides a beautiful view of Lake Michigan and the campus (while the lake view is stunning, be warned that if you’re not a morning person the sunrise might not make you so happy). The university mailroom and bookstore are located on the first level of Fordham Hall. The newest Loyola residence, Baumhart Hall, is located in downtown Chicago directly off Michigan Avenue, housing upperclass and graduate students. Located on the Water Tower Campus, this hall is especially popular for students in business and law. Each unit houses four students in two bedrooms and includes two bathrooms, a kitchen and living room, air conditioning, and cable/internet access. The hall also features a food court, café, chapel, fitness center, outdoor terrace, and bookstore. In short, it’s pretty much your best chance to live like a yuppie as a broke college student.”
Reverend Michael J. Garanzini, S.J. became Loyola University Chicago’s 23rd president in 2001. Garanzini is known for his active involvement in service and his devotion to working with children, families, and Catholic education.
Prior to becoming president, Garanzini was a professor at Fordham University and Georgetown University.
-With special reporting by Ashley Viager ‘10
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