By Whitney Ransom
Although their peers may torment them, approximately 800 upperclassmen have chosen the dormitories as their home for fall and winter semesters, said Bart Stoddard, BYU Manager for campus accommodations.
Upperclassmen, living in dorms, receive a variety of responses after telling people where they live.
'When I tell people that I live in the dorms, people look at me as if I should be moving on with my life. They think, ''Why aren''t you progressing?''' said Rebecca Thurston, 19, a sophomore, from Fort Collins, Colorado, majoring in English.
One BYU student received this response after explaining where she was living this school year.
'Hinckley Hall, and you''re a junior. What are you doing here?' said Ginger Heinitv, 21, a junior from Holcomb, Kansas, studying zoology.
Resident Assistants sometimes have to explain their purpose for living in the dorms also, said Paul Mecham, 22, a junior from British Columbia, majoring in electrical engineering.
'There are a few people that give me interesting looks at first, but after I tell them that I am an R.A., they understand,' Mecham said.
Unfortunately, one returned missionary, living in the dorms had a student ask him when he was going on his mission, said Thomas Kohler, 22, a senior from McLan, Virginia, majoring in English.
Why do upperclassmen want to live in the dorms? The decision to live in the dorms was a simple decision for one transfer student.
'Everyone I talked to said, ''You have to stay in the dorms your first year,''' said Holly Fetters, 19, a junior from Covington, Ohio, majoring in international studies.
Choosing to live in the dorms was also easier than having to search for an apartment, said Fetters.
'It''s really easy to find housing. All you have to do is click on a button that says, ''I want to live here,''' said Katie Moore, 19 a sophomore from Portland, Oregon, majoring in American studies.
Another advantage of living in the dorms is that there is little pressure to get married, said Fetters.
'It''s fun to live here because the men are not looking for their wife. They just want to have fun,' said Fetters.
One Resident Assistant chose to live in the dorms because she prefers to help people.
Living in the dorms as a Resident Assistant gives one the opportunity of being able to do something outside them, said Thurston.
Some upperclassmen enjoy living in the dorms because they don''t have to cook their own meals, said Mecham.
'I eat healthier than I ever have in my life,' said DeAnn Barr, 24, a junior from Hagerstown, Maryland, majoring in history teaching.
Other senior enjoys being with friends in the dorms.
'Honestly I just like being with the guys,' said Troy Hill, 23, a senior from Hanford, California, majoring in business management.
Still there are other motives for living in the dorm as upperclassmen.
'The real benefit is that I get to help prepare them for missions,' said Kohler.
Of course there are some disadvantages to living in the dorms as an upperclassmen, said Thurston.
'As a freshman you make adjustments to some additional growth changes issues. Part of being in an all freshman floor is that you have to fight against being needlessly drawn into those issues again, after you have already gone through them,' said Thurston.
The age difference among freshmen and seniors is a disadvantage for one upperclassman.
'I don''t want to degrade anybody, but the age gap is getting wider the longer I stay here,' said James Harding, 24, a senior from Portland, Oregon, majoring in civil engineering. 'When I''m trying to study, the freshman are trying to party,' said Harding.
There may be some drawbacks to living in the dorms, but the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, said Mecham.
'People might think you''re goofy as an upperclassmen living in the dorms, but I love it,' said Barr.