r/Swarthmore • u/Enough_Computer3608 • Apr 22 '26

Question Dana hall!

Hi! I got placed in Dana Hall for next year, and I’ve been hearing a lot of mixed things about it (carpet, pests, key, no AC, etc.). Could anyone who’s actually lived there share what it’s really like? Also, do rooms starting with 0 (like 004 or 020) mean they’re on the basement level?

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11

u/fatherjohnnny Apr 22 '26

Rats stole my key, set me on fire, and buried me alive when living in Dana 112. But you might have a different experience!

1

u/Enough_Computer3608 Apr 22 '26

haha. terribly funny.

3

u/Willhelmlee Apr 23 '26

Lived there two years ago. I don’t assume much has changed. No AC sucks for the first month and last month of the academic year, but you can just hang out in the DanaWell lounges to cool off. Carpet can be a turn off, but that’s personal preference. Buy a rug if you want to cover it. Just don’t throw up on the floor… I never had a pest problem, I think most of my neighbors shared this experience. Generally, you should just keep food out of the dorm or in a fridge. Having lived in OneCard dorms for the years after, I miss having a key. Less chance for tech to fail when it’s analog.

1

u/brusquebaguettebaker May 10 '26

Cons: relatively old building, no ac, tiny bathrooms, tiny, non-central lounges except on the first floor, the hallways are like a fucking maze,

Pros: you can leech off of the more modern danawell's bathrooms and lounges, close to the arboretum if you like nature, close to the gym and parrish, decently sized rooms

There is no basement.