Is Poplar Hall the best dorm at UW?

Pros: - Its close to campus Cons: - Fire alarms every other day. - Shower is tiny and no bidet attachment. - Smaller dorm building. - No stoves on any of the floors except the second. Most halls on campus has one on every floor. - Boring - Water pressure is terrible.

Pros: - Nice view of Red Square - Pool table on the 2nd floor that isn't as crowded as Maple's - Close to campus and food (the Ave/Local point/District market) Cons: - Nobody talks to each other - Low water pressure in bathroom faucet

Compared to the other dorms, Poplar is a centralized location, being the closest to the Ave and Red Square. The District Market, buses, and Dining Hall are all located just across the street. The Northgate bus is right outside, which was very nice. My year had everyone talking to each other, and I actually made a number of my friends (that I still talk with) there. The alleyway is used for easy loading and unloading when you move in and move out. The part I did not like was how there was only one kitchen, and it was on the second floor, where the studios were. It is also arguably the most secure building, with a lot of the doors requiring your UW ID to open. My friends and I liked to use the office rooms on the first floor to study, and usually the only other people there shared the same interests, so we'd watch each other's stuff if someone had to use the restroom (which was always clean on that floor). In the springtime, the office rooms also had AC. While it does not have the DM or Local Point, I stayed there my first two years. It was a cozy hall, not too loud like Alder.

I lived here in a double my freshman year. I had almost no complaints about the building itself, except that there's only one kitchen in the entire building, unlike most newer dorms with one on each floor. However, I also felt like this dorm was a little quieter than other dorms like maple or McCarty. I kinda wished that I lived in a more social dorm. Overall, it's a chill place in good condition.

Small hall, not super social just due to the lack of people, but everyone I met was always super nice. I think poplar dorm rooms tend to be bigger than other halls so that's a plus. Only downside is there is only one kitchen for the entire hall rather than one kitchen per floor like in most halls.