When choosing a room for next year, it is not about which dorm is the best or how many windows you want. It is about which dorm has the best water. In preparation for room sign-ups, I tried every dorm’s water and wanted to pass on my results to you, the student body. Many students during the day use a lot of plastic water bottles; however, it is time to stop wasting plastic and figure out where we should all go to get water. Granted, this is just one student’s opinion, so take it with a grain of salt…or a drop of water as may be the case.
As a current North Cottage resident—who has also lived on Senior Hall and Split Level—I must admit that the water in North Cottage is not up to my standard. I continuously go to the infirmary to get water, which is the best option.
I believe we are all on the same page about the 1st and 2nd floor classroom water. I tried it once and will never be drinking it again. 2nd Floor dorm water is hit or miss. I never had an issue with this water when I lived there. It simply tastes like main building water. It has a chlorine taste but not as noticeable as the classroom water. Trustees/Davis is right above the classrooms. One would expect the water to be just as unenjoyable as the classroom water; however, it has surprised me to be even more enjoyable than the 2nd floor dorm water. 3rd floor water was surprisingly good. It was cold with only a slight chlorine aftertaste, making it the best of all of the main building waters.
North Cottage water surprised me when I first tried it–and not in a good way. I expected the houses on campus to have better water as they are the superior dorm option. With North Cottage being so close to the main building, however, it must be having the same water issues. Poor Lodge does not have water that comes from a kitchen sink or water fountain, making it a very difficult option for any dehydrated students. Walking to the infirmary every morning to fill my water bottle would be quite the hassle, especially when it is in the opposite direction of breakfast.
In my humble opinion, the dining hall water is also not the best. Besides the questionable taste, it is very difficult to fit a water bottle in the slot. While this is probably the most popular water on campus, I think everyone needs to stop gaslighting themselves into thinking it is the place to get water. I enjoy it with my dinner but would not choose it as my main water bottle source. Similarly, the 1853 water was said to be good, but I still tasted chlorine even with the ice.
In my search for the best water, the cottages proved to be the peak housing option. Wren’s Nest water tasted very clean. I have no complaints about this water; it tasted how I would expect water to taste. Of course, it was the first cottage water I tasted after taste-testing on the main campus, so my opinion might be skewed. Cardinal Cottage water was also quite refreshing. It tasted clean, crisp, and had a normal water taste and temperature.
Rexroad residents certainly need to stop complaining about their water, as it was my favorite water and tasted the cleanest. I found it quite refreshing, but that might have been because I was going to all the houses in one go and it was the last house I visited. I worked up quite the thirst on that trek.
After my adventure to all the dorms on campus, I went back to the infirmary to double check. My findings support that nothing beats the infirmary water. It is simply the best. Consider my opinion when choosing where your next drink is coming from, choose wisely, but always choose a reusable bottle instead of plastic.
Your community water tester,
Sophia Richards-Cordell
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Rankings
1st: Rexroad
2nd: Cardinal
3rd: Wren’s Nest
4th: North Cottage
5th: Trustees/Davis
6th: 3rd Floor Dorms
7th: 2nd Floor Dorms
