By: Megan Hartman
Waking up at 8:50 a.m. and still making it to 9 a.m. classes is a luxury that Decker residents enjoy due to its prime location on campus, right in the heart of Gardner-Webb: the Quad.
Caitlin Foster, a sophomore Decker resident, said, “Decker is in the middle of everything. It’s right beside the Caf, close to the gym and close to all of my classes.” Among 15 residents that were surveyed, half mentioned how great the location was.
According to the survey, Decker also scored major points for the strong sense of community that it fosters. “The people that live in decker are different – friendly, generous, intentional and very community oriented,” said Erica Wright, a senior Decker resident. “The lobby isn’t simply a lobby, it’s a community gathering place that offers plenty of seating and studying area.”
Photo by Megan Hartman
A favorite community quirk loved by many Decker residents is the water fountain on the first floor, otherwise known as the “Communal Fountain of Free Things.” “Often, people will leave messages or hang encouraging notes for all to see, but it has become the place to give away free things [as well],” said Wright. “People [usually] leave things they are trying to give away – clothes, trinkets, books, even food!”
In fact, all 15 residents surveyed said that they feel a great sense of community in Decker. Some residents, like Sophomore Morgan Ransom, even argued that Decker fosters a stronger community than the other female dorms on campus. “I have [also] lived in Stroup, and the people in Decker tend to have more community,” said Ransom.
While most of the responses in the survey were positive, there were a couple of complaints; two of which being the issue of parking, and the struggle of doing laundry.
The Decker parking lot is used by many students, including those who don’t live in the building, forcing Decker residents to park in different areas on campus. This is a particularly big issue for the girls who arrive back on campus late at night, and have to walk back to their rooms alone.
Another frustration listed by those who were surveyed was the laundry room. As in Stroup, doing laundry in Decker is problematic due to inadequate accommodations. Offering only four washers and four dryers, for the entire dorm of over 100 residents, finding an available machine becomes a nightmare. “We really need a bigger laundry room,” said Sophomore Haley Walker, “it gets bad when everybody chooses [the same] day to wash [their clothes].”
Residents surveyed also complained about the frequency of which the washers and dryers broke down. An anonymous respondent said, “The laundry room is okay, but there is almost always a washer or dryer broken, which makes laundry more difficult.” However, approximately 64% of the surveyed residents said that maintenance fixes the machines quickly.
While Decker has its drawbacks, most of the surveyed residents are more than happy with their living choice thanks to the prime location and incredible community.
If you would like to review your own on-campus housing, please submit your opinions to GWU-Today, at [email protected].
