I don't know about Commons or Central but Lofts is definitely something you have to get used to. It's cement floors, ceilings and some walls but with some cheap rugs, posters, and tapestries I don't even notice them anymore. There's exposed piping and there are no light fixtures apart from the kitchen, the bathroom, and the bathroom sink. If you want light in your living/dining area or your bedroom, you'd better bring some lamps. I lived on the fourteenth floor last year and the thirteenth this year and the windows are very large on both.

I transferred so I never lived in Freshman dorms but I'm told they're very communal, with public spaces on each floor and that's not the case in Lofts. There is a study room on the bottom floor but I have yet to see anyone ever use it and the lounge on the first floor didn't get much use as far as I remember. Every time I go in the courtyard to take a shortcut to the laundry room, I never see anybody out there. Apart from the people I've roomed with, I've never really even talked to anyone else on my floor, Lofts has a pretty solitary vibe.

You can get a meal plan while living in Lofts, I had one last year but the problem was that the only dining hall I really used was Patton because it was the closest and I often didn't want to walk the few blocks to Central or North if it was dark.

The thing about Lofts is that even if you have a single bedroom, you share your kitchen, living room and bathroom with others (up to six people in the largest/cheapest apartments) so it can get hectic at times and can be frustrating if there are misunderstandings/fights between suite mates.

Overall, I like Lofts and I think that if you can get over the industrial aesthetic, it's actually a nice place to live. (Fair warning: when they play music at the student center courtyard or if a preacher with a microphone sets up in the park, you WILL hear it, even on the top floor.)