By Gracie Fairfax | Echo
"Name? Year? Where do you live on campus?" You may have overheard these questions more than a few times while wandering around Taylor.
Taylor, for better or for worse, has quite the reputation for dorm stereotypes. Many students love their dorms and call one home for the majority of their Taylor experiences.
These are the stories of the brave few who have defied the stereotypes and moved around.
Drew Ibach, originally a Bergwall resident, made the switch to Wengatz this year as a sophomore, following the graduation of his close Bergwall friends. He still loves the residents of Bergwall and enjoys connecting with the hall's athletes even though he has moved. After making the switch to Wengatz with his Bergwall roommate, senior Connor Olstad, he is thriving in the Third East community.
"The community (is) very intentional and our freshmen on Third East are really great," Ibach said. "They buy into everything we want to do, and they're really involved, which I appreciate."
Next, meet senior Anna Goeglein. Originally an Olson resident, Goeglein switched to Breuninger as a junior for its inaugural year, where she served as the first PA on Third Breu. Following her sophomore spring semester in Lithuania, she had a unique opportunity to be a part of something new and developed relationship with women from all over campus.
"It was rather refreshing to live in a co-ed dorm and be connected to Gerig," Goeglein said. "One of my favorite parts of the year was our PA staff, as I got to know some amazing people from Gerig and formed new friendships with guys from First Breu. Air conditioning doesn't hurt either."
Dorm life at Taylor, no matter which hall, fosters strong community among students. However, before moving to Breuninger, Goeglein saw the challenge of forming friendships outside of residence halls.
"I think Taylor Residence Life faces an interesting tension in regard to forming and developing community on campus," Goeglein said. "The closeness of communal living on each floor or wing can often preclude forming friendships with students outside of your immediate living space, which was one of my original motivations for leaving Olson to move to Breuninger."
Last, meet senior Seth Gasick. Gasick began his Taylor career as a resident of Samuel Morris Hall. While he did form some lasting friendships, he didn't feel that he connected well with his floor as a whole. As many of his good friends were already in Wengatz, he thought it might be a good fit. Teaming up with his best friend, current senior Tommy Decker, Gasick went to room draw for the both of them, hoping to make it into Wengatz.
During their sophomore year, Gasick and Decker lived happily as roommates on Second East Wengatz. As newbies to the wing, Gasick and Decker brought a fresh perspective to the floor. While some had their reservations, the wing as a whole welcomed their leadership as PA's.
While living on the same hall for the majority of your Taylor experience can be rewarding, moving to a new dorm gives you a new perspective on this familiar campus. Whether you're thinking about moving dorms or love where you live, you can learn a lot from breaking out of the mold and pursuing friendships with people across campus. You might just find some new best friends in the process.
