Being a transfer student in my third year has led me down some fascinating paths, but none more so than the first-time dorm experience. I transferred to the University of Rhode Island in the fall semester of 2024, having already earned my bachelor’s degree from the Community College of Rhode Island. I settled into the first dorm they assigned me to, a brick monolith at the bottom of campus. I found myself shacking up on the fourth floor of Coddington Hall, an ancient building tucked behind a few others.
Living here has certainly been an interesting experience, one that I never would have expected before arriving on URI’s campus. In my first semester on campus, I shared my quarters with a roommate, although he moved out over the winter break. But I remained, with the echoes of the football stadium rocking my quaint little room on most weekends.
The hallways were convoluted at first, seemingly a twisted string of hallways and turns, but after exploring them for a few months, navigation has become almost second nature. My friends and I often find little spots to hang out inside the building, such as the table tennis study room or the lounge with its brand-new furniture.
Regarding my actual living space, it isn’t much. For the tail end of the fall semester, there was very inconsistent heat in my building. Whether too hot or too cold, something always felt a bit off. Thankfully, the temperature is far more regulated now, but it was still a debacle during my first tenure in my room.
The lack of an elevator can sometimes be draining, living on the fourth floor and all. There is the occasional 1 a.m. fire drill and a seemingly ever-present faint scent of cannabis, but I cannot complain. This dorm has given me so much. It’s not just a place to rest my head after a long day of classes, but a home, a place for me to sing show tunes with my friends. Sure, a balcony would be nice to enjoy the Kingston sunrises in the early morning, but Coddington has treated me just fine.
