Kulhavi is the Towers Community's dedicated first-year hall, and it's one of the best-positioned options at CMU for incoming students who want privacy, air conditioning, and a tight community all at once. The setup is a four-person, four-bedroom suite with two bathrooms and a shared living area — meaning you get your own room while still having three suitemates. The beds are already loftable, freeing up floor space from day one.

Being part of the Towers Community puts you steps from The Eatery, the all-you-can-eat dining hall that students consistently rank as the best on campus, and from The Market at Towers (grab-and-go, Subway, FujiSan Sushi). There's a community fitness center on-site, and the Towers Success Center in Kesseler Hall's lobby — with a Care Advocate and an Assistant Director of Residence Life — means real support is close by. Note that the hall closes during Thanksgiving, semester, and spring breaks.

Carey Hall is a seven-story, elevator-equipped Towers hall that stands out for one straightforward reason: full-size beds. Every other CMU residence hall uses Twin-XL beds; Carey gives you a Full-XL (54" wide instead of 36"). If you sleep like a human being and not a pencil, that matters. The hall was renovated with updated finishes, and it's available to all student levels — with two floors (sixth and seventh) reserved specifically for first-year students.

The room setup at Carey is a one-bedroom, two-person suite with a private bathroom — just you and one other person sharing a room and a bath. That's meaningfully more private than the four-person suites in most other Towers halls. It's also one of the most affordable options in the Towers Community. Like all Towers halls, Carey is close to The Eatery and The Market at Towers, and the Towers Success Center is accessible in Kesseler Hall. Closes during major breaks — plan accordingly.

Cobb, Troutman, and Wheeler are the original Towers high-rises — nine-story buildings with the kind of energy that CMU students have been describing as the quintessential first-year experience for decades. The standard setup is a one-bedroom, two-person suite with a private bathroom. It's not fancy, but it delivers: close proximity to The Eatery (students say the dining hall is connected to the building, so you don't have to walk outside in January), kitchenettes on every floor, and the Towers community fitness center nearby.

Each of these halls has its own identity. Cobb is home to the Public Service Residential College, which connects students passionate about community engagement, civic leadership, and public service. It also offers premium single-person suites on its sixth, seventh, and eighth floors — a full-size bed, private bathroom, and a dedicated living area just for you. Troutman is home to the MAC Scholars Residential College, a community for Multicultural Advancement and Cofer Scholarship recipients. Wheeler is the more general option if you just want to be in the Towers without a specific community affiliation. Student reviews consistently describe all three as lively and social — the best halls on campus for meeting people fast.

The South Community sits directly across from the Student Activity Center, making it the most centrally located housing option on campus. Beddow, Merrill, Sweeney, and Thorpe are four separate four-story halls that share the same room setup: two-bedroom suites designed for four students, with a shared private bathroom for the suite. It's a compact, social layout — you're essentially living as a four-person unit.

Each hall in this community has its own identity. Beddow is home to the Business Residential College — a genuine asset for students in the College of Business Administration who want to live alongside peers heading the same direction. Thorpe houses the Honors Program Residential Community for students admitted to CMU's Honors Program. Merrill and Sweeney are the general options, with Merrill serving as the location for the South Success Center in the Merrill-Sweeney breezeway. The community also has two on-site fitness rooms. One key practical note: the South Community closes during Thanksgiving, semester, and spring breaks — if you need to stay on campus during those periods, you'll need to make alternative arrangements.

Celani and Fabiano are the East Community's premium four-bedroom halls, built in 2006 and designed for returning and transfer students who want more space and more privacy. The setup is a four-person, four-bedroom suite with two bathrooms and an unfurnished shared common room — same basic layout as Kulhavi in the Towers, but located in the East Community rather than across from The Eatery. Both are air-conditioned, have elevator access, and include loftable Twin-XL beds. Floor-level kitchenettes are available for residents who want to cook.

The biggest practical advantage of Celani and Fabiano over Kulhavi is break housing: the East Community stays open during Thanksgiving, semester, and spring breaks, which makes a real difference if you're a student who can't go home or doesn't want to. The East Community dining hall — Dine and Connect — is steps away, and The Market at Woldt (with Pizza King and FujiSan Sushi) adds a grab-and-go option. The East Success Center is located in the Saxe-Herrig-Celani lobby. Celani is available to transfer and returning students only; check eligibility before applying.

Emmons, Herrig, Saxe, and Woldt make up the standard suite offerings in the East Community. The room layout is a two-bedroom suite for four students with a shared private bathroom — same basic structure as the South Community halls, but on the east side of campus near the Student Activity Center and the Dine and Connect dining hall. These halls are available to first-year, transfer, and returning students, making them one of the more flexible options at CMU.

The East Community's defining feature is that it stays open year-round, including during Thanksgiving, semester, and spring breaks — something no Towers or South hall can offer. If you're an international student, a student with a long commute home, or anyone who needs to stay on campus during academic breaks, East Community halls are the practical choice. Floor kitchenettes are available throughout, the East Success Center is located in the Saxe-Herrig-Celani lobby, and the community fitness center is on-site. Woldt Hall is home to the Leadership Institute Living Learning Community for students interested in developing their leadership skills.