Image of Lucy Nolan ’27 and Nina Lazarovici on Hartman Green. Photo courtesy of Lily Andrey ’27.
With a student body of 1,900, we have collectively mastered the liberal arts 360 before any conversation in a public space. The reason? We have convinced ourselves that we simply know everyone on campus. However, each semester, there always seems to be a new set of characters walking between classes. And, events like Flapjack Fest unearth the most unfamiliar faces in line for 9 p.m. pancakes. So that leaves the question: how many F&M students legitimately use our shared spaces? And what is the leading cause for those who don’t?
Until our campus became co-ed in 1969, common spaces weren’t of particular concern. The Steinman College Center, opened in 1976, was “designed as space for men and women to interact because those spaces did not exist” Ainsley McClure ‘26, explains. Dorms couldn’t offer co-ed socializing “and classrooms rarely did.”
Ironically, even though common spaces were created to do what dorms couldn’t, dorms might just be the reason so many students refrain from using shared spaces. After interviewing various F&M students, there was a clear variation between those who lived on and off campus. But how “off campus” is our off-campus housing really? Compared to university students with 20-minute bus rides to class, F&M is so geographically compact. Regardless, the pattern remains.
When on-campus students were asked about their favorite common spaces, many answered our campus cafe, Blueline. Summer Baker ‘27 enjoys Blueline for its functionality as she “likes being able to get coffee and food while getting work done at the same time.” Other students enjoy CC for the same reasons. Only one on-campus student interviewed, Thanos Danilidis ‘27, explicitly stated he enjoyed these more public spaces for socializing.
These same students did not always differentiate between “common spaces” and “common rooms”. Justin Lizana’s ‘27 favorite space is “the second floor South Side Bonchek common room” as he formed fond memories there. Jake Baringer ‘28 also shared a similar sentiment as he appreciates his common room for large groups of friends, its proximity, and availability. When asked if they more often spontaneously or intentionally make plans with friends, almost every single student answered spontaneously.
Off-campus students most often named Hartman Green as their favorite space, followed by CC. It seems that those with underclassman friends use these spaces more, as it is the easiest place to meet. When asked if they more often spontaneously or intentionally make plans with friends, almost all answered intentionally. Off-campus students are not any less social, they simply expressed an interest in meeting other places in Lancaster, like Starbucks or downtown.
Katie Meier ‘26, admitted she “doesn’t spend any extra time on campus that she does not have to” and she is not alone in this sentiment. Emily Tang ‘25 shared a similar response and added she feels “less connected [to F&M] because [she] has less motivation to get on campus for activities.”
Of all the current on-campus students interviewed, only one plans to remain on campus all four years. None of these students had anything negative to say about these spaces, in fact, the opposite. They value them as a space for spontaneous community and socializing. Unless you’re planning on living in a commune, college is most likely the one time in life where your closest friends will just be a walk down the hall, or across the quad. So why rush off campus if the arrangement is so convenient? The answer is simple: kitchen access and better living conditions.
Although some students have dietary restrictions, many are just discontent with the meal plan. Summer expressed frustration with the food options and forced meal plans, causing off-campus housing to be her only option. For Katie, despite being a social person, living off campus has provided a “feeling of security and my control over [her] schedule and life.”
Seemingly, F&M Students are willing to sacrifice some social benefits of living in a communal space for preferred living conditions. Even though they are happy with their apartments, seniors like Zoe Bluestone “still miss seeing everyone in the dorms, grabbing quick meals with friends, and two-second walks to the library.” Likewise, even though Sarah Forkin ‘25 feels that “a lot of the aspects she gets out of [common] spaces she can also get at her apartment,” she admits “being off campus in the winter makes her lose that connection to F&M”
It may not seem like food options could possibly dictate what memories and experiences students have during their college years. However, unsuspectingly, food plays a vital role in how students stay engaged with F&M.
Sophomore Lily Andrey is the Editor-in-Chief. Her email is landrey@fandm.edu.