What you only know if you live in Jester West

The best dorms at UT

When you first hear the word “Jester”, you cringe. It’s natural. You hate talking about your living accommodation, especially when the other person lives in San Jac, or off-campus housing like Callaway or Castilian. But deep down, you know living at Jester has it’s perks. It’s a love-hate relationship.

Here’s everything you know if you live in Jester West.

You have to turn on two showers just to get the hot water running


If you didn’t know this secret before, well I just changed your whole Jester experience. If two showers are on, and one is taken, jump into the second – it’ll make us feel less guilty about wasting water.

You’re out (or almost out) of Bevo Bucks

It’s not easy resisting the temptation of Wendy’s late at night, especially after JCL has closed. It’s a blessing and a curse – I’m talking to you, Freshman 15. And to make it worse? Chik-fil-A, Zen and Taco Cabana located only a few yards away.

You drag your laundry down the never-ending hall just to find out all three washers are taken

Honestly, can someone fix this? Clearly three washers and dryers are not enough for a hall of a hundred residents. As for the students who leave their laundry in the machine after it has finished, have some respect! Most people will take out your laundry anyway, wet or dry.

You wake up fifteen minutes before class

Well, just because you can. Most places on campus, including the CPE, are within a 15-minute walking distance. Blessed.

You know all about your floor mate’s personal and social life

Whether they’re sobbing over FaceTime, arguing with their significant other, getting home from a wild night or having a phone call, everything (and I mean everything) gets through the thin walls, especially if it’s happening in the hallway. Don’t even get me started on the door slamming. Or the noisy neighbors upstairs.

There is always some event involving food in the lobby

I don’t even want to be an RA, but I hear there’s going to be pizza.

You try not to feel too depressed about your jail cell walls

The bricks are a downer, don’t you think? Like seriously, we’re under enough stress. It doesn’t help that it looks like we live in a prison.

You wake up at 1am and hear mediocre singers in the stairwell

If you’re lucky they’re playing the guitar. If the study rooms won’t keep the sound in, an echoing stairwell will, right?

It’s like 50 degrees in the room all the time

Jester is one of the dorms on campus with rooms that don’t have their own thermostat, so it’s a constant temperature throughout the year. If it feels like you live in the Arctic Tundra during the warmer days, you would think during the cold it would be like living in the desert. Wrong. This probably explains why I have four blankets and wear two pairs of socks to bed.

The elevator rides are literal Hell

To the people who use the elevator to get from the first floor to the third, we’re all giving you major side-eye. And there’s clearly not enough room if you try to squeeze yourself in but no one is moving for you. Some of us just want to get to the 13th floor quickly and comfortably.

But I mean hey, it could be worse. Like having an unrennovated room. Luckily for me, that wasn’t the case.

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