Before You Arrive at Duke

All first-year Duke undergraduates live together on historic East Campus, a residential approach that fosters a close-knit community. You’ll meet people from diverse backgrounds and explore new interests and possibilities.

Mattress & bed frame: Mattresses are extra long (XL) twin; 3001/301 Swift, Trinity, and Wannamaker have full size mattresses. The actual dimensions are approximately 80 inches long x 36 inches wide x 7 inches deep for XL twin and 75 inches long x 53 inches wide, and 7 inches deep for full. Bed frames are adjustable so that the mattress can be raised and lowered to allow the dressers and bookshelves to fit beneath. HRL no longer provides lofted beds.

Desk, Bookshelves, and Desk Chairs: Rooms are equipped with one desk and chair per student. The style of the desk may vary between building but the desks are approximately 42 inches wide and 24 inches deep. In some buildings, the desk is slightly smaller and comes with a separate cabinet unit that can be used as an extension of the desk or can function as a night table. Desk chairs are rolling task chairs.

Chest of Drawers (Dresser): Each student also has 2-3 chest of drawers. In some buildings the chest of drawers fits neatly under the bed or depending on the configuration of the room, the chest of drawers can be placed in the closet. In Gilbert-Addoms (GA), drawers are part of a built-in closet system.

Cable/Ethernet/Phone Outlet:  All residence halls have wireless network access and each bedroom has one active Ethernet port. As of Fall 2011, landlines for phone and cable are no longer available in individual student rooms. Students should plan to bring a cell phone. The University has worked with two carriers, Verizon and AT&T, to install signal boosters in the buildings to ensure stronger signals.

Flooring:

• Alspaugh, Pegram, Brown, Bassett, East, Giles, Wilson, and Jarvis maintain their original wooden floors.
• Randolph and some rooms in Bell Tower are carpeted.
• Blackwell, Gilbert-Addoms, and Southgate floors are covered in a vinyl plank tile.

If you intend to purchase a large rug for your room, it is advisable to wait until you get to campus to measure the actual floor space before making your purchase. Some of the rooms have interesting architecture including hallways, doorways, and kneewalls which may alter the shape of the floor space.

Housing and Residence Life believes strongly in the value of the campus residential experience. This experience provides you with exciting opportunities to meet new people and to be exposed to different difference cultures and lifestyles. This can start with your roommate.

One of the key ingredients to a successful living experience is a solid relationship between roommates and a healthy roommate relationship takes time to develop. An important place to start is by getting to know each other. Make time to find out about your roommate’s background, habits, interests, and pet peeves. Talk about the differences between you, how they may affect your living environment and what compromises you both may have to maintain harmony. Discuss what you hope for in a roommate relationship.

Remember, while you may be very close to a person as a friend, your living habits may not be compatible. Take the time to discuss the following topics with your potential roommate before making a commitment to live together.

Talking Points

• Schedules: study time versus sleep time, noise hours vs quiet hours
• Guests: acceptable hours, overnight, significant others
• Room Condition: temperature, cleanliness, bunking or lofting beds (as appropriate)
• Sharing: personal belongings, shared expenses (CATV, telephone), etc.

Things to Remember

• Many students have never had to share a bedroom before. Be prepared to compromise.
• If a strong friendship develops between roommates, that's great, but don’t necessarily expect to be best friends. The important thing is to accept, appreciate, and grow from the experience of living with someone who may be very different from you.
• Remember that each of you have rights. Treat your roommate(s) as you would like to be treated.
• Don’t rely on first impressions. Make the time to know each other.

Think about how you would complete these statements:

• I'm a good roommate because…
• I would like to find a roommate who…

Connect with @Duke Students on social media. Facebook is also a great place to keep up with your new classmates and stay informed about important dates and other news. Join the conversation--it will last long after you get here. Join the Official Class of 2026 Facebook Group today!

Duke’s beautiful campus is surrounded by trees and green space, with many easy ways to get around, including buses, rental bikes, late night safe ride options, and more. Of campus, there are many arts, dining, sports and other options to keep any visitor entertained. For visiting families, there are many options for places to stay in the area within easy reach of campus.