However, the freshman dorms were not as glamorous as students may have expected upon arrival at UM.
First opened in 1968, the towers at Hecht and Stanford became landmarks of freshman life. The 12-story buildings resembled high-rise prisons thanks to their bright white hallways and tight living quarters with small hurricane-shuttered windows.
"Freshmen dorms are quite literally built by prison contractors (they’ll be knocked down soon)," one Reddit user quipped, referring to a popular legend about the architect of the towers.
Picture this: showers that doubled as gnarly foot baths thanks to recycled water from your floormates' showers, roaches lounging on your body pillow, and mold situations so advanced they could be mistaken for science experiments.This is ridiculous. I had to live in Stanford my Freshman year. These privileged young kids... https://t.co/Zaw62QTJRu
— Ian Hest 🟦 (@IanHest) August 14, 2024
It was all part of the quintessential freshman experience at the University of Miami — though it might just have been a crash course in survival of the fittest. Hecht was demolished in 2022 and Stanford officially closed its doors prior to its demolition this summer.
However, this year's freshman will be living in utter luxury with UM's brand-new $335 million freshman dorm, Centennial Village, which opened its doors to students this week.@univmiami Centennial Village is waiting for U! Tag your roommate. 🙌 #campuslife #umiami #universityofmiami #fypage ♬ original sound - armin arshe
According to the university's website, Centennial will feature more than five residential complexes and will accommodate approximately 2,000 students. With community laundry on many floors, meditation rooms, and private bathrooms, it's clear: We're definitely not in Kansas anymore, Toto.@alanysviera3 Thought this campus could not get better…. I stand corrected #umiami #miami #campus #dininghall ♬ Snoop Dogg x Pharrell x ROMderful. - So Future
But all this luxury is going to cost you $18,000 per academic year for a single — $1,600 more than standard housing at Eaton, Mahoney, and Pearson dorms. And if you're eyeing one of the double rooms in Centennial, be prepared to drop $3,000 extra compared to the standard housing.
So, what better way to christen the new dorms than by paying homage to the old ones? After all, they didn't just build character; they strengthened students' immune systems. And for that, fellow Hurricanes will always be grateful — if not a little bit scarred!
