Housing Guide 2011

I was pleasantly surprised by Rubin! It's really aesthetically pleasing, with a homey feel, and a beautiful lobby. The second floor lounge is great and everyone is extremely friendly. Even a friend visiting from another college noted how nice everyone was here. The food at Rubin is admittedly so-so (the dining staff is really friendly though, which sort of makes up for it), but it's close enough to Weinstein and 3rd North that if things really suck, you can just go somewhere else for dinner. The location, in my opinion, was perfect. Five minutes from Union Square and Washington Square Park. I also found that the walk to class was only about ten minutes or less, not bad at all. As for the whole no air conditioning thing, it seems like it's a really big deal, but my roommate and I got a fan and everything was fine. As for room size, low cost triples are ok depending on who you ask, the more expensive triples are NICE. I actually have a suite and it is so spacious! In conclusion to my long love letter, I have so far loved my experience dorming here. Not my first choice originally, but I'm so happy I ended up here.

Best part
Cozy atmosphere that really makes it feel like home. Wonderful community with nice RAs and a nice staff in general. Location. Awesome hotel style lobby. Mark Twain lived here!

Worst part
FOOD. And I guess the air conditioning thing is a little annoying.

— Maggie lived here as a Freshman

I LOVE RUBIN. I love the rooms, I love the people, I love the second floor lounge... I love everything about it. Rubin has such a strong floor community, it's hard to walk through the hallways and NOT stop in someone's room to say hi, chill in the hallways, grab dinner together, start a program, etc. I've visited all of the other dorms, and most people don't know the other people on their floor. But in Rubin, your floormates becomes your best friends. The food isn't the best, but Rubin is so close to everything else that if you're not up for it, you can stop by Upstein, Downstein, Hayden, or Kimmel. The staff is really funny and friendly, though, and admittedly it is nice to have a dorm in your building when you're on a studying spree and don't want to leave or it's cold outside. The RA's are really chill, and there are so many features available - black box theater, ping pong room, billiards table, flat screen TV, dark room, and so much more. Take advantage of these, they're worth it. Hall government - SUG@R - is fantastic, too. They're always coming up with new programs. Rubin is in the perfect location, too, not too far from every major subway line (if you ever feel like leaving the village). I also want to note that Rubin just got a major overhaul this past summer. Hardwood/laminate flooring, they improved the radiators, new paint, new sprinkler system... The lobby in itself is already beautiful (and historically protected) and the rooms are surprisingly large, even if you have a triple. The people, though, are the best. You'll find your best friends at Rubin Hall. Nobody is stuck up (like the people in the other dorms), because, c'mon, you're in the cheapest dorm possible. In all honesty, I'm already planning on becoming an RA my junior year so that I can come BACK to Rubin and live here again.

Best part
The people and the atmosphere. I've talked to people in other dorms, and they don't know their floormates as well as I know mine. There is such strong floor community - if you're looking to make friends (and keep them), Rubin is the place to be.

Worst part
No air conditioning, though that really isn't bad because the heat only lasts maybe a month out of the entire time you're here. Buy a fan, you'll be fine. The food, but the friendly dining staff makes up for it. It can get a little noisy on the floor sometimes, but there are quiet hours at night. And you'll probably be participating in the noise, too, since you'll be having so much fun.

— Jessica lived here as a Freshman