At age 19, some college sophomores are not ready for the responsibilities of apartment living.

The dozens of residence halls located throughout campus represent a housing alternative for students. Contracts follow the academic year, so there is no need to worry about sub-leasing for the summer. Private dorms such as Illini Towers and Newman Hall offer apartment-style living within a dorm setting.

Ted Bluver, sophomore in Engineering, is living in Newman Hall for the second year in a row.

Newman is typically characterized as a Catholic dorm, but Bluver said that Newman is an option for any student.

“(Newman residents are) a group of hardworking individuals, who help each other out, but tend to have that Catholic-Republican ideology,” Bluver said. “But I survived it, and I am the most democratic person you will ever meet.”

Bluver said that students in the Six-Pack, for example, party every night, creating a loud environment which can make it difficult to study.

At Newman, everyone studies together in the cafeteria, which is also a great place to meet new people, he said.

Bluver said he stayed in Newman because most people sign their leases in October for the following year, and he was not ready to commit to an apartment two months into his freshman year.

Many students encounter trouble with campus housing for this very reason. The University residence halls accept applications much later than most apartments.

Illinois Street Resident Hall, or ISR, is home to many non-freshmen students and is a favorite to engineering students on campus, said ISR resident Brian Slininger, sophomore in LAS.

Located in Urbana only a short walk away from the quad, ISR includes two separate buildings—Townsend for men and Wardall for women—connected by the main lobby and dining hall.

Students in University residence halls can take advantage of their meal plans at any University dining hall.

Not only is ISR one of the few air-conditioned dorms available, but it also offers reassignment for residents who wish to continue living there.

“It frees up all the worries about paying for food, utilities and other costs associated with apartment living, and provides more of a community atmosphere as well,” Slininger said.

ISR also represents a great opportunity for students to work together on class projects and studying without even leaving their dorm, he added.

Another popular option for students of all ages is Bromley Hall, a coed residence hall of about 700 students located on Third Street.

Bromely is Private Certified Housing and offers amenities that University housing does not, including a heated indoor swimming pool, housekeeping services and apartment-style rooms with renovated semi-private bathrooms.

Jillian Febel, sophomore in AHS, chose to live on the “mezz floor” of Bromley, which is quieter and mostly upperclassmen.

“Bromely is a good transition before living in an apartment,” Febel said.

It blends residence hall community life with all of the comforts of a home away from home. A personalized roommate matching program considers living habits and interests while assigning random roommates.

Sherman Hall and Daniels Hall are two options for graduate students or upper-class undergraduates who choose not to live in apartments. Whether looking for a quiet place to live and study or a social environment with a great meal plan, these University residence halls and private certified housing facilities are different options students can take advantage of.