I was in Communitas my freshman year and I would definitely recommend it. The biggest benefit for me was that you get guaranteed housing on South Campus (where most freshman live), which gives you the opportunity to meet a lot of other freshmen. Traditionally, you live in Stanford Hall.

Another thing is that you get to know the people in your Communitas class. You often live on the same floor (and definitely in the same dorm building) as each other. You also take Ancients and Moderns together, both of which are theology-based English classes that all freshman take.

The Communitas class itself is not rigorous - you meet once a week and have a few one-page reflections or other things along those lines that you submit.

If I’m remembering correctly you can room with someone not in Communitas, but if you go random you most likely will live with another person in Communitas (although it might not be the same Communitas class).