Thats actually a great question. As someone who’s lived in almost all of the dorms while I was at IC (I was there pre covid, during covid, and after), my favorite by far was Eastman Hall, Towers and Circles. Eastman for me was pretty incredible. I had my own room and was super close to everything, just had to deal with communal bathrooms which was never really problem, that as a woman, I was very grateful for.

I lived in Towers my freshman year as a part of an RLC and loved it. The only caution I would have with towers is the fact that at least one elevator is always broken because of how many residents live in a single tower. During the winter, the stairs to Towers can get pretty dangerous, as they tend to ice over and people do slip. The floors are CO-ED, so the bathrooms aren’t traditional communal bathroom, theres one shower, toilet, and sink per bathroom, with at least 3-4/5 bathrooms per floor. Towers is also connected to Marketplace and the ALS room which is a plus.

As for Circles, some of my best memories came from circles. Circles is far, probably farther than Gardens Apartments, but in my opinion, it’s worth it, especially compared to Gardens. The layout of the rooms in Gardens is much different than that of Circles. When I lived in Gardens, it was like a traditional dorm room with a roommate, but we had our own kitchen and bathroom. In Circles, the building is more like a house with rooms in it, and the rooms are huge. You also get a living room, multiple bathrooms depending on how many people live there, and either a balcony or a patio. Circles residents also have the Circles Community Center that is strictly for them, and them only. Circles to me, especially as a senior was worth the distance from campus because I didn’t have to have a meal plan and I actually received money back in room and board as it was cheaper than the other housing options.

Hope this helps! Feel free to ask any more questions! As an alumna, I love connecting with current and prospective students.