By Abby Rathburn | Staff Writer
Students who live in three of the two-year dorms at Baylor — Teal Residential College, Honor Residential College or Brooks Residential College — sign a two-year contract when they move in. For some, the experience grows their community. For others, it’s a fight to get out of the contract.
Dr. Jason Whitt, senior lecturer in the Honors Program and HRC resident faculty advisor, said the goal of the two-year commitment is to foster a deeper connection between students.
“It allows us to be very intentional about formation, helping students really learn to foster deep and good friendships, helping them figure out some of the things of college life in an environment where you can both learn leadership, learn some life skills as you’re adjusting to college, but also growing in what it means to be friends,” Whitt said.
San Diego freshman Tyler Tennant said he enjoyed living in Teal College this year because similar to what Dr. Whitt mentioned, he feels bonded to the people around him, especially those who are older than him.
“It’s the engineering and nursing community, so I just wanted to surround myself with like-minded peers, an engineering community, a community that’s academic-focused and community-focused,” Tennant said.
Beyond the two-year contract, many residents choose to live on campus all four years. Houston freshman Shaan Jolly lives in Brooks College and said he has appreciated the mentorship from upperclassmen who have continued to live in his residence hall throughout college.
“I have a couple friends that are juniors right now that are going into their senior years, and they’ve been at Brooks all four years, and they love it,” Jolly said.
Still, some students decided to break their contracts for varying reasons. For Lansing, Kan., freshman Jacob Dennis, finances motivated him to break the contract. Instead, Dennis hopes to live with a group of friends off campus next year.
“I have an option to live with some other friends that I’m pretty close with,” Dennis said. “It was kind of my only chance to live with them, and also it’s a little cheaper, too.”
For others, like Iverness, Ill., freshman Noah Goodall, other opportunities arose. Goodall will not fulfill his two-year contract with the Honors Residential College because he will work as a community leader in his sophomore year.
“I am leaving the HRC because I got a job offer at another hall to be a CL there, and it’s a pretty unique opportunity that I’m really, really excited for, and it helps cover the cost of room and board, which is really nice,” Goodall said.
While Goodall and Dennis had positive experiences in their residence halls, they both expressed a desire to pursue an opportunity more beneficial for them. While there are definitely benefits to living on campus, many off-campus options are within walking distance of campus.
“You move off campus, but if you look around, are you really off campus?” Whitt said. “Because some of them are really, really close.”
