I don't live on campus, but I have friends who do, so here are my observations...
Butler Buildings:
- Seem to be reasonably close-knit. Maybe I am friends with the REALLY social people.
- Small rooms. 2x single beds wide and 1.5-2 long. In that space there is a bed, a desk/bookcase unit, wardrobe. Under the bed there is drawers.
- They aren't air-conditioned. This may seem bad. But it is not. If it was air-conditioned, if one person got a cold, so would everyone else in the building.
- It can be quite noisey. Especially on the floor that we are on a Monday night. (A group of us met up every Monday night this year, and we weren't exactly quiet...)
- It is catered. The students seem to complain, but when I went to dining hall Sunday week ago for dinner, I thought it was fine. I had roast pork, gravy, veggies and salad, and then for dessert I had banana cake which had nutmeg on the top... Something wasn't quite right with the nutmeg - it tasted funny, and I was bouncing off the walls a couple of hours after...
- The common rooms (1 per block I think it is... A and C [the bigger blocks] may have 2... I'm not sure) have a fridge, sink, microwave, tv, vcr, a table and couches in them. Don't even think about watching anything other than Australian Idol or Kath & Kim if you happen to be in the same block as Eleanor.
- Four levels of rooms (two wings off each stair case) and two stories high.
- Bathrooms are shared, so make sure you bring a dressing gown...
Stewards:
I don't really know a whole lot about Stewards... They are single-level and air-conditioned. I haven't even been into the bathrooms... If you can, get a disabled room... They are HUGE compared to the Butler rooms... Don't know what they are like compared to the other Stewards rooms though.
Stewards would be really noisey on Wednesday-Saturday nights... They are right near the Tav.
Cottages:
Never been in one. I know that some are renovated, and they cost an extra $20ish a week.
East and Doman halls - I don't even know where they are located. I have a fair idea, but wouldn't be able to direct anyone there...
To me, Butler seems to be the best. That is where I have spent quite a bit of my time... There is already a waiting list for returning students for the Butler Buildings, but they always reserve quite a few rooms for first-years, and then they offer the remaining rooms to those that are on the waiting list. Two of my friends, Eleanor and Steve, have been accepted into Butler for next year (I am assuming Butler C... That's where they were this year) and Wayne is on the waiting list.
Apply for anything. On-campus accom. is quite sought after, particularly in semester 1.