Welcome to CU, baby buffs! If you’re here, you might have been assigned to a dorm in Williams Village and you might be upset about not living on campus (I know I was). However, I’m here to hopefully settle your nerves. It’s not as bad as it seems, I promise.
In my freshman year, I was assigned to WillVill East. This news was quite devastating to me at the time. I didn’t know much about WillVill other than what I had learned from YouTube videos, Reddit, and other blogs about CU. Months earlier, when filling out my housing application, I made sure to put every other dorm first no matter what. All I knew was that I didn’t want to be off-campus. I think that’s what scared me the most, the word “off-campus.” I was afraid I would be isolated from other students, wouldn’t make friends, not be familiar with the main campus, you name it. Everyone in WillVill probably felt the same way at one point or another. Honestly, though, none of this was the case.
Let me tell you first, WillVill East is the best dorm. It’s brand new and by far the nicest dorm on campus. I’m not kidding when I say it looks like a hotel on the inside. One of the best aspects of this dorm is the bathrooms. Rather than a communal style, there are private pods that each contain a sink, shower, and toilet. However, note that not all of the bathrooms in the WillVill dorms are like this. WillVill North is a close second to WillVill East. If you’re in the towers, Stearns or Darley, well at least you’ll be closer to the bus stop.
Another perk of being in WillVill is the dining hall, the best one on campus. With options ranging from barbeque to Asian food, you won’t go hungry. There are waffle makers, panini makers, a cereal bar, a salad bar, and more. Be sure to wake up early for breakfast to grab a couple of hashbrowns- they’re the bomb. A fan favorite for dinner is definitely the curry station, so get excited for that. Another fun thing about the dining hall is that the stations will change based on the day. For example, on Tuesday’s there’s a taco station, and Wednesday’s there’s a stir fry station.
On the first floor of the building the dining hall is in, you’ll find the Grotto and the Village Market. I spent an ungodly amount of my munch money at both of these places. The market has anything you could want, but it’s all overpriced so be aware of how much you’re spending in the first couple of weeks. The Grotto is like a little restaurant and they’re open until 1 or 2 a.m. on weekends. They serve burgers, tater tots, milkshakes, and more. All perfect for a late-night snack after the hill.
Now the topic I know you’ve been waiting for, the buff bus. I won’t lie to you, it’s not the best. However, it’s also not the worst. The worst part is having to get up and leave for class a tad earlier than you would normally have to. So, if you’re not a morning person don’t schedule any early classes! If you’re worried about knowing when to get off, don’t. You’ll figure it out super quick and there’s even an app, Transit, that will help you keep track of when the bus is coming.
Overall, WillVill is its own little community. One of my favorite things about living in WillVill is that it’s a space away from school. Sure, being right in the center of everything can be fun, but it can also be exhausting. After a long day of classes, going ‘home’ to WillVill will give you a new appreciation for it (this may not come until second semester, but I promise it will). WillVill also puts on a lot of events, so there’ still a lot to do and get involved in. No matter what dorm you get, either on main campus or in WillVill, you’re going to meet a ton of new people and have a great year.