I'm of the firm belief that every freshman should live in Markley. And while 50% of them will, everyone else is missing out on a significant rite of passage. Your double room is 10 by 11 feet and you will learn to arrange furniture, food, clothing and yourself in ways never before thought possible. The bathroom will be consistently flooded, if you're lucky, with just water. One stall will always be out of order and if you dare open the door chances are you'll lose your senses of sight, taste and smell for a week.

All things aside however, Markley is a great experience. Sure it's a 25 minute walk to your first class at 8 AM and sure the building is structured like a prison because it was originally built only as temporary housing in the '70s, but cmonnn, it's Markley! Everyone's a freshman and doesn't know what the hell is going on, at least half my friends now are people I met wandering through the halls during the year. I won enough money to buy my first iPod playing poker in the Hideway, I broke an exit sign playing lacrosse in the hallway at 4 AM and I watched my roomate get hauled out of my room in handcuffs on greatly exaggerated assault charges. Good times all around.

Freshman view getting Markley as a curse, and it may seem that way at first, but it'll grow on you. It's like Lord of the Flies meets Oz. Meets the Mighty Ducks. I don't know, it's fun, you'll have fun. I did.