Walking into the newly renovated Botsford-Swinford halls is a much different experience from stepping into LaFollette Complex.
The air-conditioned and technologically advanced hall just welcomed its first group of students last week, and many are already enjoying the perks.
Evan Fischer, a freshman computer science major, said the new residence hall was just like living in a resort.
"It's awesome here — like a resort," Fischer said. "They're babying us. It seems like they're spoiling us off the bat."
With a multi-purpose room filled with TVs, gaming tables, chairs and pool tables, as well as a kitchen with a sink, ovens and a bar-like counter area, Johnson A has many amenities other residence halls don't have.
There isn't any shortage of technical equipment and studios where students can learn, as it's the home of the Communication Living-Learning Community and the Emerging Media Living-Learning Community. One tech lounge has a green screen available for students to use; another has a computer lab with 12 double-screen computers and will have a TV for video conferences. A 3-D printer will be added in the future.
Each floor has its own kitchenette and semi-private bathrooms. Fischer's floor even has five different lounge areas for students to study or chat in, he said.
"What hit me really was the welcome video [before move-in]," Fischer said. "Then it was insane walking in here."
The $30,442,000 residence hall houses about 590 students, according to previous reporting by The Daily News. Before the renovation started three years, it hadn't been updated since 1969.
For Rayla Shorter, a freshman who is undecided on her major, being in a place with a supportive living-learning community is helping her decide what she wants to do with her life. She's currently a telecommunications major, but isn't sure if she wants to stay there or switch to education.
"I have the opportunity to see what [the telecommunications major] is like while I'm knocking out my gen-eds," Shorter said. "Being in that environment, hopefully something will attach."
While she hasn't had much residence hall experience to compare Johnson A to, after seeing her friend living in LaFollete Complex, she said she was glad for her placement.
"I feel so bad for her, but my Welcome Week leader said he liked it there," she said. "But being here first, I wouldn't like it."
Coming into Ball State, she didn't really know what to expect from her dorm, but even so, she was kind of surprised when she entered the facility.
"It's a lot nicer than you'd expect," Shorter said. "Especially with how the media portrays dorms."
Haley Gustafson, a sophomore public relations major, is an academic peer mentor for the Communications Living-Learning Community at Johnson A.
She lived in DeHority Complex last year, and even with how nice she thinks it is, she said Johnson A is still a step up.
"They're trying to make a more upscale, community feeling for the residence halls," Gustafson said. "When you walk in, you don't feel like it's a residence hall."
Johnson B is also in process of being torn down to begin renovations.
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