5 Reasons Parkside IRC is the Best Freshman Residential College
By Sophia Pei ‘22
From great food, to diverse cultural events, and great accommodations, Parkside IRC is definitely one of the best places to stay. Let’s pretend I’m unbiased and don’t currently reside in it…here’s why:
1. The International Community!
Some suitemates and friends from IRC
You truly get an international experience here. The residence hall was created to bring together international students and domestic students. It’s especially jarring when your roommate is from 6000 miles away when you’re a LA local like myself. While LA is already known to be ethnically diverse, IRC is a true melding pot of cultures. It’s amazing to walk down the halls or wait in the elevator and hear such a plethora of languages. In my 8 weeks living in dorms, my Mandarin has improved more than it has in my past 18 years growing up in a Chinese household!
2. Proximity to Best Dining Hall!
Parkside Restaurant and Grill has long been held as the best dining hall on campus. For most, it’s often an inconvenient hike, but for Parkside residents, it’s literally less than 250 feet away! With the unlimited freshman meal plan it’s easy to both go in for legitimate meals or just nabbing a red velvet cupcake.
3. Amazing Faculty Dinners!
Mediterranean themed dinner from last Tuesday
Every Tuesday, the faculty in residence host a free dinner for Parkside residents featuring international cuisine based on the theme for that week. Not only is it a great break from dining hall food, it often features guest speakers. It’s also a great way to mingle with other Parkside residents and faculty members. Furthermore, there are special events on international holidays like Mid-Autumn Lunar Festival with fun cultural activities.
4. Suite Living (and no Communal Bathrooms)!
My room inside a 8-person double suite
Parkside IRC is one of four residence halls that offers suites to freshman. As a single child who’s never shared a room or bathroom with anyone before, I wasn’t looking forward to sharing a bathroom with the 40 other people on my floor. With suite-style living, you only share a bathroom with 4 other people. The bathrooms are cleaned twice a week and has an actual bathtub! The suites are also quite spacious. They come with an adjustable bed (can be lowered), mini-fridge, microwave, an actual closet (rather than a cabinet), a desk (that can be made larger by a built-in extension), a bookshelf, and lots of storage (storage units are NOT an issue).
5. Fire-pit, gym, piano rooms, study lounges…
The lovely fire-pit and waterfall right outside Parkside
There are so many facilities accessible to Parkside IRC residents. Not only do we get our own gym on the first floor, but there’s private piano rooms! Each floor also has 3 student lounges as well as a larger lounge on the first floor. Craving s’mores? Grab your suitemates, graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows and head out to the fire-pit right outside! Craving colder temperatures? This building has AC! There’s a thermostat in each suite so you can cool down after walking around in the warm SoCal weather.
Additional Benefits:
CATS!!!
Okay, some people may have allergies or, even worse, “aren’t cat people,” but I personally love cats. Caroline and CJ, two faculty in residence who live on 4th floor IRC, have two pet cats who are amazing! I have to say, the thing I miss most about home is being able to cuddle up next to my obese British shorthair, Toby. Nothing like holding a purring cat to destress.
WISE floor.
A special interest community located on the 4th floor for Women in Science and Engineering (though it’s not limited to STEM majors). As a quantitative biology major, it’s nice living in the same wing as many of my classmates.
“Parkside Darkside”
While some people say inhabitants of Parkside are “antisocial” (incorrect usage of the term), I personally enjoy sleeping in a place where there isn’t music blasting from the next room or people throwing up in the bathrooms. As an introvert, I definitely appreciate the quiet, safe haven of Parkside.
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