Dorm #1: Duren

Today was November 10, 2013 and I observed the atmosphere and environment of the on campus dorm, Duren. Upon entering Duren, there was an immediate feeling of quietness and reservation that would have been hard to break. There was no one in the lobby area. I then proceeded to walk around and observe the hallways and living areas. The hallways were completely silent as well and there weren’t many people walking around in the halls. The main layout of Duren was strikingly similar to a hospital and the environment as a whole lacks a feeling of coziness. Overall, there were two main subcultures that I observed that were extremely present within this specific dorm. The first subculture I observed was one that consisted of ethnic minorities that were highly reserved. It was evident that these people found personal space, quietness and academics more important that social interaction. The norm for this subculture was to sit at a study table as a group and not talk; if there was conversation it was in a whisper among themselves. The second subculture that I observed was a greekife subculture. It was evident that these students cared much more about their appearance and social status than personal space or academics. This subculture holds different values such as partying and pledgeship, which takes place outside of the dorm. The students that fall into this subculture spend most of their time at their sorority and fraternity houses, and only utilize Duren as a place to sleep. There are different factors that have contributed to the formation of two different subcultures such as the lack of a dining hall and comfortable hang out room. Overall, there was such a strong divide between these two subcultures to the point at which the staff felt the needed to try and facilitate social interaction by holding events for Duren residents.

Here is an interview with Duren resident, Trey Bass:

Q: What is one statement you have about living in Duren?

A: “It is a fine living establishment.”

Q: If you could change one thing about Duren, what would it be and why?

A: “I would paint all the walls a shade of olive to create a more homey environment.”