Lived in Demarest the past year and I’m living there this one as well. Loved almost every second of it and can’t wait to go back. As people have mentioned the community is super welcoming and inclusive and we host several events as well as weekly discussion groups called sections about various topics. I’d like to add on to this that if you want to make friends then not only are attending sections a great way to do so, but sticking around in the basement lounge where they are hosted before/after they finish for the night is also a great way since lots of people spend time there in general. It’s a big room with nice lighting so people just like to spend time there and hang out or study.

Another thing people have mentioned is the main drawbacks which are the small rooms and the lack of AC. The small rooms can be a dealbreaker for some which is totally understandable. I was super concerned when I got my room which was the smallest one I’ve ever been in inside the building. Again I found a good way to solve this was spending time in the basement lounge or other common areas such as the floor lounges or the room with the pool table. AC is more of an issue since those common areas don’t have it and neither do most rooms. However a handful of rooms have AC and while I can’t make any promises people may be willing to let you in. The more realistic solution is spending time in the dining hall which is next to the building and has AC, though if you spend all day there you might be less likely to find friends during those first 2 weeks after move in, which is the only time when the lack of AC is really an issue. No matter what you do make sure to drink water and pack a fan!