Ninety percent of Holy Cross students live in one of 11 residence halls on campus — but how do they make those spaces feel like home? The answer is both literal and emotional.
The Holy Cross housing experience starts as soon as students arrive on Mount St. James. All first-year students live on campus and participate in the Montserrat living and learning program. Students within each cluster live in the same residence hall, so they are immersed in the spirit of community. Big ideas that come up in the classroom start conversations that continue over dinner or during late-night study breaks and give rise to enduring friendships.
From single rooms to suites, there are lots of different places for students to hang their Holy Cross hat, but all residence halls share certain comforts, including study areas, community living rooms and, for most, shared kitchens.
We opened the door on residences to learn how students, from California to China, turn four bare walls into a campus home. (Spoiler alert: Home-baked cookies help.)