Dorm Amenities
Ball State is home to 11 residence halls, but not all of them have the same amenities. Here is a quick rundown of some things you might be looking for in a dorm, and which dorms have them!
In addition to these major features, all of the dorms have a laundry room, a fitness center, and lounges. Many dorms also include amenities such as kitchenettes, game rooms, media rooms, and music rooms.
Living-Learning Communities, or LLCs, are popular for freshmen to get to know people, usually in their major, by living in a dorm with people that share similar interests. Different Living-Learning communities are assigned to different dorms, though you do not have to be in a Living-Learning community to be in a certain dorm in most cases. More information can be found on Ball State’s website on which dorm corresponds to which LLC.
Dorm Rules and Resources
As expected, there are a decent number of rules and policies for students living in on-campus residence halls. We won’t cover them all here, but an exhaustive list of dorm policies is available on Ball State’s website. Here are some important things to know:
- Quiet hours in the dorms are from 11:00 p.m. to 9 a.m. from Sunday to Thursday, and 1 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. During finals week, quiet hours are 24/7…well, 24/5…but you get it. On any day, at any time of day, playing loud music, TV, instruments, or practicing your tap dance solo is prohibited. There are practice rooms in Sursa Hall and the Hargreaves Building for a reason.
- You may have guests in your dorm with approval from your roommate. Only one guest per resident, and they can stay for four nights max.
- No animals are permitted in the residence halls—expect for fish in a small fishbowl or tank. Aquariums larger than 20 gallons are a no-go. Although, service animals and emotional support animals are allowed, if they are certified and shown to be necessary for student with a documented disability to have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy campus housing. More information can be found on Ball State’s website.
- Students are required to leave the residence halls during Thanksgiving, winter and spring breaks—unless you have worked out a housing arrangement with the Office of Housing and Residence Life. These arrangements are based on availability and students are subject to additional charges.
- Resident Assistants (RAs) and Academic Peer Mentors (APMs) live within the dorms as resources for students. Whether you’re having roommate trouble or just want to chat, RAs are there to help. Everyone within a dorm is assigned an RA for their hall, and they will schedule meetings with the hall to touch base and address any issues if they arise. RAs also schedule fun events for the people in their hall to do and get to know each other! APMs are similar, but they schedule events for the whole dorm to join in on instead of just the hall. APMs are also a good study resource for students if they want someone to help them understand something within their LLC’s scope of knowledge.
How To Get Along with Your Roommate
Speaking of roommate trouble, having a roommate isn’t all sunshine and roses. To avoid possible trouble between you and your roommate, try the following!
- Ask them questions about themselves before you move in together to see if you are a good fit for each other! You could ask: What are your interests/hobbies? What major are you? Are you an early riser and/or a night owl? What items do you plan on bringing (rugs, appliances, futons, etc.)? Do you want to share items? What are your cleaning habits (really clean, mix of messy and clean, really messy)? How do you feel about guests in the room (of the same and opposite gender, overnight guests, etc.)? What day are you moving in? If one person is moving in earlier than the other, what should they do in setting up the room space (wait to arrange the room when both are there, separate it in half, arrange the room how you both would like, etc.)?
- Use the roommate agreement! Take the time to go through the roommate agreement with your roommate when you move in and set up how you’d like the year with your roommate to look from cleanliness and duties in the room to how often you’ll be in the room in the first place.
- Know your on-campus student rights. These can be found on the Ball State website. In short, you have the right to live in your own space and not be bothered.
- Be friendly! This seems like a no-brainer, but if you take those small steps to kindle a friendship, it goes a long way, and it is a lot easier to live with a friend than it is to live with a stranger. Go out to eat with them, or plan another fun activity to do together from the events on campus. Even going to the rec center and working out together works! Just keep putting in effort and you will be rewarded.
While there are many benefits to having a roommate that you get along with, sometimes a roommate just isn’t the right fit and steps need to be taken. Here’s what to do if that does happen to you.
- If you are having trouble with your roommate, first try to talk it out with them if possible. Summon whatever diplomacy and reason you have left in you and ask if there is a time where you two can talk it out. If you are not able to come to a compromise on your own, get your RA involved.
- RAs can do a variety of things to help you out, from having one-on-one talks with both you and your roommate, sitting in on your talk with your roommate if you are nervous, and if worse comes to worst, contacting the Resident Learning Coordinator (RLC) on your behalf.
- Students can contact the RLCs too via email, if need be. Roommate changes are dependent on available space and are at the discretion of the building's RLC. Before approving a change, RLCs will work with students to help them understand the situation and make an effort to work out the problem.
Off-Campus
After your freshman year, you have the option to either stay on-campus or find other housing accommodations off-campus. Options can include an apartment or a house; it all depends on what your wants and needs are.
For apartments, Muncie has many complexes that are available for leasing throughout the school year and summer as well. Some of them already come furnished and with your own bathroom. Many apartments also come with amenities such as a gym, pool, study lounge, basketball court and more. If you’re looking for a more community-oriented living situation, this might be the choice for you.
Houses can be found with different leasing companies, and are located all around the surrounding neighborhoods off-campus. Some of them can house up to 6 people, and are a close walk to campus. Typically, houses do not come furnished and carry some extra responsibilities. However, if you’re looking for a more spacious living area, this might be the option for you.
With whatever choice you go with, make sure to look for off-campus housing as soon as you can! Most people start signing leases during the fall semester, so the earlier you start looking, the better chance you’ll have at finding great housing.
Looking for off-campus housing can also be very stressful; however, the Ball State Daily offers many events and guides to find the best option for you. The Ball State Daily Housing Guide (ballstatedailyhousing.com) is an online search tool where you can search for apartments and houses all around Muncie, and filter results by your specific needs. Whether you’re looking for a certain number of rooms, price, amenities, or distance to Ball State, this tool makes it easier than ever to find off-campus housing. For both fall and spring semester, there is the Ball State Daily Housing Fair. Here, you have the chance to speak with leasing representatives from properties around Muncie, and learn all about the different housing opportunities available to you.
