Living the Suite Life in the Upper Quad

Sacred Heart University recently finished two new additions to the Upper Quad residential village on campus. These new buildings, Teresa of Calcutta Hall and Frances Xavier Cabrini Hall, opened in the beginning of January for the spring semester of 2021. The expansion of the Upper Quad allows more housing options for students and is projected to be completely finished by July 2021.

Calcutta and Cabrini Halls include suites that house four to five students each with 357 beds in each building. The dorms also include study rooms on each floor, common areas and kitchens in each suite, and larger communal rooms for students to gather.

Many students that recently moved into Calcutta and Cabrini Halls have different opinions on the new dorms and their features.

“I like living in Calcutta Hall because the location is super convenient,” said sophomore Isabella Macia. “The common rooms and kitchens are spacious, the closets are huge, and it is nice to be living in a brand-new dorm.”

Similar to Macia, other students in Calcutta Hall say that their new dorms are enjoyable.

“So far, I really enjoy living in Calcutta Hall,” said sophomore Kayla Drake. “The size of the room is really nice and the common areas are great to hang out in.”

Other students say that the new buildings are visually appealing.

“I absolutely love the Upper Quad. It is beautiful. I am very lucky to live here,” said sophomore Victoria Kennedy.

Many students also say that the features in the new dorms are helpful with their individual lifestyles.  

“The kitchen is my favorite part. I have dietary restrictions, so it’s really nice to be able to cook all my own food,” said junior Juliann Pellegrino. “My suitemates and I have a blast cooking together as well.”

The study rooms on each floor have also been a great component for many students.

“The study rooms and lounge areas that have been put on all the floors are so nice and perfect for students to study in,” said senior RSA Isabella Vassallo. “We have even seen residents hanging out in them watching a movie or the Super Bowl.”

Even though many students agreed that there are numerous benefits to living in Calcutta and Cabrini Halls, other students said that there are some negative aspects of the new dorms, but nothing that overrules the nice aspects of living there.

“Obviously, there are kinks with any new building, but all the residents have taken it in stride and have been able to adapt and be patient with getting those kinks out,” said Vassallo.

Students have also noticed other minor details in the new dorms that are potentially frustrating.

“The only thing I can think of is that there are a limited amount of washers,” said Pellegrino. “Also, the cabinets do not fit a standard size plate. You can tell that some of the building was rushed.”

Although there are certain things to adjust to in Calcutta and Cabrini Halls, many students still agree that their overall experience has been positive.

“It was great to see the building that we have been waiting for for so long start to fill up with residents and see them all enjoying this beautiful new building,” said Vassallo. “The new Upper Quad buildings are so amazing. We are so lucky to have the opportunity to be the first people living here.”

About the author

Assistant Perspectives Editor

Leave a Reply