Of all the dorms and residence halls at The George Washington University, Mitchell Hall is definitely my least favorite. Located on 19th Street between E and F Streets, Mitchell is the furthest residence hall from the central hub of GW civilization. (I don't count The Aston because it is still used as a hotel. If you count it, Mitchell is the second furthest.) Luckily, I have never lived in Mitchell.

I had a great deal of friends that lived in "Mitch" and actually enjoyed it. There are a lot of benefits Mitchell Hall has. First and foremost in my mind is the theatre in the basement, Mitchell Hall Theatre. I produced two plays and acted in six (not including an improvisational acting troupe) that were performed there. Most were quite successful, although people grumbled about having to walk so far to see a show. The Creative and Performing Arts Community (CPAC) is located in Mitchell Hall. It used to be just the eighth floor, but they have grown. If you don't live in Mitch, you can still participate in CPAC productions. Every now and then, the theatre is transformed into a coffee house with an open mic night.

Another benefit is that there is a small food court right next to the theatre. There, you can find a Little Caesar's Pizza, Subway, and a little food mart. There are plenty of booths and tables where you can sit and chat with friends or just study. Outside the food court is a courtyard. I never saw students in it during my 4 years at GW, though-- Only workers that wanted a smoke break.

Every single room in Mitchell Hall is a single. There are four corner rooms on each floor that are a suite - Two singles that share one bathroom. (The suites aren't co-ed.) All of the other rooms, however, must share a community bathroom, kitchen, and lounge. (Men and women have separate bathrooms.) All you find in the bedrooms, aside from a desk, bed, and dresser, is a sink, mirror, and closet. I have heard of many people, both men and women, urinating in their sink so they wouldn't have to walk to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Thanks, but no thanks.

you can find a Resident Assistant on every other floor, which isn't bad for an eight story building. There is also a Graduate Assistant and Resident Director living there. CPAC's advisor has their office on the first floor, as well as the Mitchell Hall office located right near the entrance. At night, there is desk security and patrol every couple of hours.

On the first floor, you can find a TV lounge where people usually gather to watch popular shows. Outside, there is a nice porch where musicians usually go to play their guitars with friends. There are also three elevators, only one of which goes to the basement. On the residents-only side of the basement, you can find a laundry room. A little study room equipped with a couple of computers and internet access is located right outside the TV lounge and above the theatre.

It seems as though Mitchell would be a great place to live. to some, it really is. If you're a social butterfly like I am, Mitchell is a nice place to visit, but you don't want to reside there. Stay a little closer to the heart of campus. If you're set on having a single, other dorms offer them. Mitchell is too isolated from the rest of campus and too near parks where homeless people live. Many incidents are reported in the student newspaper of people being attacked right near Mitchell. I never walked there alone at night. If I didn't have friends with me, I would call Campus Escort.

But maybe you like isolation and seclusion. Perhaps quiet is more important to you than safety. If so, then this is the dorm for you.



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