Student Voices
During the Spring and Fall semesters, nearly 300 students call Holy Family University’s three residence halls home. Whether living in Stevenson Lane Residence, St. Joseph Hall, or the Garden Residence, the experience can be transformational. Below are the reflections of two residential students – one first-year and one senior – whose experiences living in the heart of campus showcase the important lessons of residential life.
Edward Earley ’26
Living on campus at Holy Family University as a first-year student has been such a fun and enjoyable time. As a first-year student, having a dorm made the adjustment from high school to college easier for me. Coming out of high school, I thought I would struggle to find my footing in a whole new environment, but living here has been nothing short of a great experience.
Being on campus has allowed me to meet so many new people and form friendships that I know will last a lifetime. One of the best things about living on campus has to be the residence hall programs and student engagement events. Whether it be giveaways and raffles, baking cookies, or playing Mario Kart, there is always something to do.
Had I not lived on campus, I would have never made the amazing bonds with my friends here. I’ve had the most amazing college experiences ranging from big things like my residence trip to Peddler’s Village in Bucks County, to small things like hanging out with my best friends. There is just something special about living on campus.
Kyana Zayas ’23
When it came time for me to leave for college four years ago, I knew that I wanted to stay at any university I decided to attend and live on campus. Over the past four years, I have been a resident in the Stevenson Lane Resident dormitory, and I could not be happier that I made that decision.
If I had stayed home during my years here I would not have had the same experiences or opportunities that came my way. Being on campus has allowed me to experience time away from my family and become more independent when it comes to my everyday life with tasks like shopping for groceries for the first time, having a set schedule for laundry, or being mindful of all the cleaning I have to keep up with. It has also had the effect of melding me more into the community at Holy Family.
I have made numerous friends here that will extend beyond these walls from being in the same environment with one another by attending programs, events, classes, and clubs. My favorite nights are spent hanging out with one of my friends in the lounge and hooking up my laptop to have movie or game nights while cooking food in the kitchen provided on each floor, or hunkering down in my dorm room to have a study session for exams with snacks and take-out.
It is a different experience entirely to exist outside of what would ordinarily be your comfort zone back home and thrive in a new place and community, meeting new people and participating in things you would never have done. I am naturally an introvert and I tend to keep to myself but being on campus has made me open up to people, and encouraged me to engage with others more. An example is that I have been a Community Assistant for several years now, which is something that I would have not considered during my first year when I first moved in.
Living on campus has been at times different or difficult, having to learn to move to my own beat and routine and coexisting with others, but it has been a great experience that has enriched and changed my time here for the better. Living on campus is definitely a decision I would make again.