Hello future Juniatians!
Welcome to our first Dear Alfie post! For those not familiar, Dear Alfie is an opportunity for prospective students to ask a current Juniata student questions about life here. Consider it a way to get Juniata info straight from the source.
My name is Stephanie Letourneau and I’m a senior at Juniata. We have received so many great questions and I’m excited to answer them! I have to thank all my friends from campus for helping me answer these questions. I traveled near and far, soared through the sky, and can now report back. Phew!
So, let’s get started:
Dear Alfie…
“Are there kitchens in campus available for students to use?”
Yes! Almost all the residence halls have kitchens open for student use. Sherwood is the only one without a kitchen, but Sunderland is right next door and easily accessible. These are community kitchens so all that Residential Life asks is that everyone is respectful of the space and each other’s belongings. If issues arise, the kitchen will still be open but on a sign out system to keep everyone accountable.
“Is the gym open for all students? If not is there a local gym?”
Yes, the gym is open for ALL students! The gym is also open to professors, community members, and alumni. Fun fact: I have heard that one of our professors even holds office hours in the gym.
“Are all bands audition, or can you just join some?”
Good question! I had to ask my friends for some help on this one. They say that there is no audition for the ensembles, but there is an audition for drumline. You can learn more here: https://www.juniata.edu/academics/departments/music/instrumental/ and listen to this great panel discussion: https://youtu.be/KpcCS83Bsyk
Bottom line, there are some you can just join! We also have a pep band beginning next year, check it out: https://www.juniata.edu/about/news/archive.php?action=SHOWARTICLE&id=6906
“Is there any way to have 4 freshmen room together, if the group has already been familiarized with one another?”
Yes, there is! We have a few quads (dorm rooms for four people) in the freshmen residence halls. When you fill out your housing information, you will just indicate it on there. You will have to make sure that each of you request each other.
“Is there a tryout process for club Quidditch?”
I had to phone another friend for this answer! I found out that there is no tryout process for Quidditch. Our clubs at Juniata are all inclusive and do not typically require tryouts. During Lobsterfest in the fall, you will sign up for any clubs you want to join!
“How many instruments could one person play across all the different bands? Is there a limit?”
There is no limit to the amount of instruments you can play across the bands. There are actually many people who play several instruments in different bands. My friend says they have played 12 different percussion instruments in one song!
“Are international students allowed to live off campus in their freshman year?”
All freshmen who are not commuting from their homes are required to live on campus. We are a residential college, so everyone lives on campus. Our “off-campus” options, which are college owned houses and apartments are only available for upperclassmen.
“Can we stay off campus after living on campus for 6 months as an international freshman student?”
Currently, we only allow upperclassmen to live “off-campus” in college owned houses and apartments. Freshmen live on campus in residence halls during the full year. If there is a housing or roommate issue, Residential Life will help you resolve the issue or will assist in finding you a new room.
“What computer would you recommend I get for college at Juniata and why?”
I recommend a computer that you are comfortable with and fits your individual needs. For example, I have a friend who has a Chromebook because she is an English POE and found that she needed a computer that would support writing a lot of papers and doing research. In my case, I have a POE in the sciences and needed a computer that would support research, but also had the storage space for statistical programs, mapping software, and data.
Our Technology Solutions Center (TSC) is able to help you troubleshoot both Mac and Window based machines. We actually have a page from the TSC that gives recommended computer specifications: http://help.juniata.edu/view_article.php?article=48
They give you details such as minimum memory size, processor, hard drive, etc. Bottom line is to get a good quality computer but make sure it fits your needs.
I hope you found this helpful! Didn’t get to ask a question this time around? No problem! You can in the next round of Dear Alfie. Thanks for reading!
