Well, see, the thing is, it's hard to be objective about what residence is "the best". Chances are, everyone thinks the residence they lived in was the best, and that should tell you something crucial - it's not the physical building that's important, it's the people inside it.

You can see pictures of the building if you haven't yet at http://housing.mcmaster.ca/Residence...s/brandon.html
And I gotta tell ya, outwardly it's not that much to look at - there's no denying that. It's definitely large, but compared to some other buildings, it's not the newest, nor does it have the biggest rooms, or the nicest common areas, or the widest hallways. But what I can tell you is, despite all that, virtually everyone I've ever known who's lived in Brandon considers it to be the best residence on the face of the earth. It may have the most enthusiastic alumni and rabid fans of any building on campus (with the possible exception of Whidden, that is). So, I'd say you really have nothing to worry about - a residence is so much more than the bricks and mortar that make it up, and you'll discover that quickly once you get to Mac.

Oh, and what are these "different sites" that you've been reading things on? Just curious.

Originally Posted by eycc11

Fourth floor! =)

Has anyone ever been inside a single room at Brandon? Is it a decent size for one?

Hey, i see that you had a 4th floor in brandon last year, a single room?
I have the same thing this year! What can you tell me about it? i am in room 412
whats the size like? how much space is there to put stuff? positives? negatives? how are the bathrooms? etc.. anything that would be useful information is appreciated
Thanks!!

Like everyone keeps saying, "the residence experience is made by the people in the building". In this case, a major perk of Brandon is it's size. Simply put, with 550+ people, it's extremely hard NOT to find someone like you. During Welcome Week, if you want to be loud and crazy, no worries, there will be a ton of people like you. If you're more into sitting under a tree outside with a couple of acoustic guitars, no problem, there will be people like that too. And if you fall somewhere in the middle, you can bet that you'll fit right in.
Having just spent a year in Brandon, I'm full of Brandon Love (any alum should know what I'm talking about...) The building itself is pretty much as "traditional residence" as you can get, but I'm sure you'll have an awesome year!

i was on studetawards.com and they were talking about how it smells etc. anyway as long as people who've actually lived in it say its fun then i'm fine haaha

haha, no, it doesn't smell. i lived there last year -- it's very livable. just old.

woah, your degree major is exactly what i want for next year, any tips?

The common rooms did tend to have a bit of an aroma though, just because of the recycling containers. You get used to it quickly though, and you might even find yourself missing it when you're home for the weekend

Ya the smell of the common rooms does take some getting used to. And chances are, you won't even be used to it before you have to leave for the summer. But honestly, in the grand scheme of things, the smell of the common rooms and other minor things are not going to have any effect on the experience you get living in Brandon (or any other res for that matter). Brandon Hall is a great res to live in. Anybody who's assigned to live there should be stoked. Brandon Hall is known for how many people live in it, and consequently the INSANE amount of spirit its residents have. So enjoy your year there! I know I did!

Originally Posted by gillybean

Hey, i see that you had a 4th floor in brandon last year, a single room?
I have the same thing this year! What can you tell me about it? i am in room 412
whats the size like? how much space is there to put stuff? positives? negatives? how are the bathrooms? etc.. anything that would be useful information is appreciated
Thanks!!

I didn't have a single room last year, but I actually know the girl that lived in that room! LOL!
But I know that people that live in single rooms don't really have a problem with the size (or at least no one I know ever really complained about it). You have essentially the same amount of personal space as you'd have if you were in a double room.
I know you're not going to have THAT much extra room to put extra stuff, but there's a decent amount of storage in Brandon rooms. Not a ton, but you'll have anough space for your stuff.
Having lived in a double room, I can't really accurately say what the + and -'s are, except I know that, depending on your personality and how easily you make friends (like how shy you are and whatnot), sometimes it's a bit more difficult to make friends when you live in a single room. But seriously I'm just generalizing. I know plenty of people who had single rooms and were more social then half the people on their floor, but I also knew people in single rooms that were very anti-social, so it really depends on how social you are. So don't be scared!
As for positives, well...the most obvious is the amount of privacy you'll have, which can sometimes be an issue in double rooms. And you wont have a roommate to worry about distracting or keeping awake at night or anything like that.
And as for bathrooms, if you're not aware, I'm almost positive (but don't quote me on this) that your room is the one RIGHT in front of the girl's bathroom lol. This is awesome, except at 4 am when people are using the hand dryer (which is obvously pretty loud). It does come in handy though when it comes to showering and stuff.

Hope that helps!

so does anyone have pictures of a double room, i want to see what it looks like and everything im so curious

http://housing.mcmaster.ca/Residence...s/brandon.html

click virtual tour for more pictures

oh i've seen those, i just wanted to see more ahaha

Originally Posted by Sarah13

The common rooms did tend to have a bit of an aroma though, just because of the recycling containers. You get used to it quickly though, and you might even find yourself missing it when you're home for the weekend

I forgot about the common room smell! Don't fret -- it's only bad the day before they pick up the recycling. But yeah, they kinda smell ahaha.

Looks like I'll be on the 9th floor, room 16. Can't wait!

I am in Brandon, BRAND221A so i am assuming this means second floor.

I got my phone extension but what is the phone number i dial before i dial the extension?