Kelly Hall

Introduction:
Kelly Hall, is one of Drexel university’s oldest residence. However its age is no indication of its condition and service. Opened in honor of the late Ralph Kelly, the dorm is still in top condition and shows no sign of age. Plenty of reviews online speak of leaking showers, over-flowing toilets and clogged basins. Some reviews also speak about pest problems in the hall, which include but are not limited to, bed bugs and cockroaches and mice. However all such claims are unfounded. Maybe Kelly hall experienced such problem in years past, however after its recent renovation; no student can be found who will complain about any such issues.

Building layout, Rooms and Living condition:
Being one of the four traditional freshman dorms at Drexel, Kelly offers similar room and hall experience compared to Towers, Myers and Calhoun. It has 10 floors with each floor having 20 rooms, and two students in each room. Unlike Myers and Calhoun, the floors are single sex with alternating boys and girls floors. There is a resident advisor (RA) on each floor, who occupies one of the rooms. The RA’s are mostly really cool and fun. They are there to enforce the rules and ensure the well being of their residents. Each floor has a communal bathroom, a kitchen and a study lounge.

The communal bathroom has 6 basins and 4 toilet stalls and 6 shower stalls. Thinking about communal bathroom might send shivers down anyone spines, however you can rest assured that they are cleaned properly every morning on the weekdays. And there are no overflowing toilets or clogged showers.

The rooms in Kelly are decent sized, but can sometimes feel smaller than it really is, especially when both roommates are present in the room. However the furniture in the room is movable and can thus be arranged according to one’s comfort and to create space. Plus the rooms have their own air-conditioning and heating with adjustable temperature settings. This allows every room to have their own preferred settings.

The kitchen on each floor come equipped with a stove, oven and a refrigerator. But sometimes the RAs on some floors are nice enough to place a toaster and a microwave as well alongside the other things.

Kelly hall has a unique open door policy which the RAs encourage but is not imposed. This allows greater interaction and bonding between floor-mates and creates gives a taste of the true “dorming” experience.

Building facilities, service and staff:
The building has a study lounge in the basement and on the ground floor which provides quite areas for someone to study during midterm and final weeks when the library is overcrowded.

The basement is also the laundry area for the whole building. It comes equipped with 10 dryers and 10 washers. The small number of machines means that there is always a line for them, however that is not something a bit of careful time-tracking would not solve. Also in the basement there is a piano, foosball table, pool and a ping-pong table for the students’ recreation. The recreational facilities are perfect for the study break during stressful weeks and allow one to maintain a clear and healthy mind.

The building is staffed 24-7 with someone on the front desk. They provide security to the building, since anyone entering the building must either scan in or be signed in by a resident student. The front desk staffs also handle any complaints and issues and report it to the appropriate authorities for action. They are courteous and very friendly, and will help you adjust to life at Drexel with the occasional fun filled events that they organize.

Drawbacks:
The building has two elevators and hence sometimes there is a significant wait for elevators during rush hours, however this can be seen in most dorms with the exception of Myers, which does not have elevators due to its fewer floors. Overall Kelly hall is a simple residence with facilities and service rivaling any other dorms at Drexel. The other disadvantage to Kelly is its distance from the campus centre, dining hall and the library. One must walk around a kilometer to reach the centre of the campus, and on snowy or rainy day’s this can seem to be a herculean task.

Personal Opinion:
All of Drexel’s halls are far away from the campus centre, but Kelly alone makes up for it by having Northside dining, home to subway, Curritos and Chik-fil-a, right by its side. Being a resident of Kelly and having experienced its service and facilities first-hand I would recommend this hall to anyone without any hesitation. In my opinion Kelly hall and its staff provide a warm and loving environment similar to one’s home.