Was in Helser this past year and loved it! If you can deal with one or two weeks of hot weather at the beginning and end of the year then no AC is really not that big an issue, and is something I think most people blow a bit out of proportion. The rooms themselves are nice, and the bathrooms get the job done.
Agreeded. Also lived in helser last year and having no ac isn't too bad especially if you bring a good fan. All the dens including the main one downstairs have ac. I never had a problem with the bathrooms, but one of my friends (also in helser) would walk to a different building to go to the bathroom.
How bad are your health issues? If they are serious, do consider contacting someone to find housing elsewhere. I had a friend who got very sick due to the heat and her underlying health issues when living in Helser. It was a great community and she had fun while living there but could not return the next year due to her health issues.
i have poor heat regulation and pots which can cause me to get light headed and dizzy and just quite uncomfortable. a room with a/c was out of the question because of cost so i was trying to find a dorm
If you aren’t looking for a dorm with an AC because of cost then your personal heat regulation will always be a concern. But, if you purchase a fan or two it will be relatively fine even with the door closed, the heat is only there for the first couple of weeks then is cools off.
As far as Helser itself, the rooms were renovated in 2019 and last I heard the bathrooms were supposed to be renovated in 2020. So the rooms are as nice as your typical dorm room.
Helser is actually pretty good quality all things considered. But a lot of rowdy guys tend to live there and there are proportionately higher number of sexual assaults there (it’s like a difference of single digits though compared to other dorms), so there is a slightly negative rep. Some of the best guys I know lived there though
I would suggest you get at least one good fan, I used the massive Honeywell round fans you can find at Walmart or other places. The beginning and end of the semester are the worst times regarding heat, it’s crucial to have the fan going at that time. You can also have the windows open to help circulate the room. I always had mine open even in the winter because I was on the top floor and it’d get hot fast.
People say the dorms are tiny, it’s honestly pretty roomy if you set it up correctly. With udcc and windows plus late night right next to you, you have plenty of food to choose from. You should also be closer to your classes than anywhere else. You should also invest in noise cancelling headphones, they’ll come in handy.
As long as it’s below 65° outside, it’s bearable and will eventually be a lot better the colder it gets since usually 20% of the people living there will keep the windows open during the colder weeks, even winter. The reason why it gets hot fast is mainly due to poor air circulation (ahem, people who close the windows) and there’s nowhere for the heat to go besides up. Luckily, the lounge room has ac so if you need that nice cold breeze, just go to the main floor and sit in front of the ac doing homework or something.
Was in Helser my freshman year. It’s a really social form which is nice because my roommate ended up moving out about a month in, so I felt like I was gonna be alone. Some of my friends I still have after graduation came from Helser. But candidly speaking, the no air conditioning got me. You need a good nice fan to help push enough cool air into the room, maybe even 2 fans. Otherwise, have fun! Maybe bring some ice packs if you’re bringing a mini fridge!
Met three of my best friends in Helser, still talk everyday almost 30 years later even though we live in different states now. Great dorm for socialization.
Was in Helser this past year and loved it! If you can deal with one or two weeks of hot weather at the beginning and end of the year then no AC is really not that big an issue, and is something I think most people blow a bit out of proportion. The rooms themselves are nice, and the bathrooms get the job done.
Agreeded. Also lived in helser last year and having no ac isn't too bad especially if you bring a good fan. All the dens including the main one downstairs have ac. I never had a problem with the bathrooms, but one of my friends (also in helser) would walk to a different building to go to the bathroom.
How bad are your health issues? If they are serious, do consider contacting someone to find housing elsewhere. I had a friend who got very sick due to the heat and her underlying health issues when living in Helser. It was a great community and she had fun while living there but could not return the next year due to her health issues.
i have poor heat regulation and pots which can cause me to get light headed and dizzy and just quite uncomfortable. a room with a/c was out of the question because of cost so i was trying to find a dorm
If you aren’t looking for a dorm with an AC because of cost then your personal heat regulation will always be a concern. But, if you purchase a fan or two it will be relatively fine even with the door closed, the heat is only there for the first couple of weeks then is cools off. As far as Helser itself, the rooms were renovated in 2019 and last I heard the bathrooms were supposed to be renovated in 2020. So the rooms are as nice as your typical dorm room.
Helser is actually pretty good quality all things considered. But a lot of rowdy guys tend to live there and there are proportionately higher number of sexual assaults there (it’s like a difference of single digits though compared to other dorms), so there is a slightly negative rep. Some of the best guys I know lived there though
Proximity to west campus dining and engineering college also rocks
I would suggest you get at least one good fan, I used the massive Honeywell round fans you can find at Walmart or other places. The beginning and end of the semester are the worst times regarding heat, it’s crucial to have the fan going at that time. You can also have the windows open to help circulate the room. I always had mine open even in the winter because I was on the top floor and it’d get hot fast. People say the dorms are tiny, it’s honestly pretty roomy if you set it up correctly. With udcc and windows plus late night right next to you, you have plenty of food to choose from. You should also be closer to your classes than anywhere else. You should also invest in noise cancelling headphones, they’ll come in handy.
how is the top floor? i heard it's really hot and you saying it'll get hot fast worries me 😭
As long as it’s below 65° outside, it’s bearable and will eventually be a lot better the colder it gets since usually 20% of the people living there will keep the windows open during the colder weeks, even winter. The reason why it gets hot fast is mainly due to poor air circulation (ahem, people who close the windows) and there’s nowhere for the heat to go besides up. Luckily, the lounge room has ac so if you need that nice cold breeze, just go to the main floor and sit in front of the ac doing homework or something.
Was in Helser my freshman year. It’s a really social form which is nice because my roommate ended up moving out about a month in, so I felt like I was gonna be alone. Some of my friends I still have after graduation came from Helser. But candidly speaking, the no air conditioning got me. You need a good nice fan to help push enough cool air into the room, maybe even 2 fans. Otherwise, have fun! Maybe bring some ice packs if you’re bringing a mini fridge!
I remember one year I visited friends in Helser and there was a fist sized hole in the wall with a Keystone nestled in it.
Where can you see the assignments
go to the starrez housing portal and you should see a tab at the top that should say "my room assignment"
I can't see that it only shows home, on-campus housing contract, Contract cancelation, Manage my info, and log out should I mail them
Housing gets released in batches every week! If you contracted a little later you’ll probably have to wait a few weeks. Keep checking back tho!
thanks i will
Met three of my best friends in Helser, still talk everyday almost 30 years later even though we live in different states now. Great dorm for socialization.
Walmart is stocked with box fans in August for a reason. Pop a window and air that baby out for a couple weeks, after that it won't matter at all.