Unfortunately for a good number of rising sophomores and even upperclassmen, the long-promised demolition of Kissam Quad will not happen for a while, leaving many students not entirely thrilled with how the housing process treated them this year.

“I think it could definitely be handled better,” said Phil Greenwald, a freshman who will be living in Dyer Hall for the second time next year. “It doesn’t seem that people are given a fair shot at the dorms that they want.”

Still others feel that, after one year of not receiving their first choice of housing, they were slighted a second time in this year’s process.

“I’ve wanted doubles for two years in a row now, and I’ve been put in Kissam both times,” said Sam Jewett. “I think the housing department needs to do a better job of making sure people who didn’t get their first choice one year don’t get burned twice.”

But some future Kissam residents do not seem to mind the prospect of living there next year.

“The housing process went pretty smoothly, and Kissam was my first choice,” said Nathan Wallace. “It’s not as bad as people make it out to be, and Qdoba is right across the street.”

About $1.3 million worth of renovations are being planned for Kissam Quad this summer, which, according to some who lived there this year, are long overdue.

“It doesn’t feel like Kissam is falling apart, it is falling apart,” said Micah Walker, who will be moving from Dyer hall into Stapleton House in Branscomb Quad next year. “I’m so pumped,

I’m finally getting away from this nasty mold. Maintenance was definitely a problem this year, and the change of scenary is going to be great.”

There is also a sense among some of those living there next year that the renovations will not make Kissam that much more appealing.

“It seems like the renovations are just being put in to distract us from the fact that we’re still living in Kissam,” Wallace said.

Once again, though, a prevailing concern about living in Kissam is how isolated it is from the rest of the social activities on campus, especially at a time when the school is advertising the perks of living as a community in The Commons.

“It’s not that it’s been such a terrible experience living in Kissam,” Jewett said, “but I felt like I haven’t been connected to the rest of campus. I’d be more motivated to go out to events more if I lived in a place that was more central to campus activities.”

—Adam Weinstein can be reached at adam.w.weinstein@vanderbilt.edu