PA Place vs ROM: One Year of Dorm Hell: My Final Verdict

Wellcome back, everybody, or rather, Guten Abend(flexing my basic German Skills lol). It’s me, AliasRZ, back to posting some content after a month of nothing. \^o^/Simply, School year’s wrapping, I’m packing my stuff to bounce this week, and after surviving a full year split between PA Place and ROM… yeah, we’re doing the comparison.

PA Place – Year One Chaos

So during my first year of Harrisburg UNIVERSITY, I was put into PA Place in a two-bedroom dorm living with three other people(Yes, it was a hassle lol). During move-in week, the fridge immediately shit itself and started leaking water everywhere. We submitted a repair order and eventually scored a larger one that actually worked. (⊙_⊙)？

Then months later, our microwave was faulty, and want to know how? Simply, it was because I tried to microwave popcorn (with the plastic wrapper off), and for some reason, some sparks and a loud buzzing noise came from it. Another repair order, another new unit.

Then the ceiling incident: middle of the night bathroom run, flip the light, and water’s pouring down like the building’s trying to drown me. The floor and toilet are soaked. Napkins, repair order… and crickets. Nobody showed.

Even days later, after the issue was fixed somehow.

Then, going into the building itself, the main problems I had were the elevators, fire alarms, and next-door neighbors.

Throughout the school year, I had to deal with bull like waking up in the early morning or while relaxing in my dorm, with the fire alarm randomly going off for no reason. First one was legit (trash chute fire). After that? False alarms galore. We all stopped evacuating. Boy-who-cried-wolf stuff

Building-wide gems:

Elevators: one of three died after winter break. Parts apparently had to ship from Narnia. Didn’t come back until mid-to-late March.

Jesus man, you think they were traveling to Narnia or traveling to the Titanic. Alongside the whole fire alarm issue and during busy hours, it would take longer than usual to get a ride down, which was a nightmare.

Then, going into neighbors, I had a neighbor who, for some reason, late at night, played or practiced some loud music next to my bedroom. I wouldn’t have much of a problem if it were the middle of the day, but when it’s the middle of the night, it just pisses me off.

And later on in the school year, new neighbors came by, and they had a big, brown, fluffy-looking dog. I only encountered those neighbors with their dog three times, and I hated each time.

The first time I was picking some packages from the mailroom, I had delivered, and during one of my trips upwards, I heard some barking, and since I didn’t have my glasses, it looked like it was coming towards me, and I ran to my dorm, just for the lady to laugh and tell me they’re harmless.

Go fuck off.

Then, in the second instance, I was walking to the trash chutes late at night. nothing major or anything, however, one of the owners and their dog were waiting at the elevators, and that dog barked at me and looked like it wanted to go near me. So I moved away from their sight and waited until they were in the elevator to throw out my trash.

Then, in the third and final instance, I was going to one of my classes, and soon after I came near the elevator, one of the doors opened, and it was the same dog and neighbor. That dog tried to rush at me and also started barking before they pulled them away.

Honestly, the stuff I want to say will likely get this site taken down, and I’m not risking that. ಠ_ಠ So I’ll just wish those guys had some karma coming their way.

(God, this is lengthy than my normal content)

The Upsides

However, I acknowledge that there are some positives: decent-sized washers that actually cleaned clothes(looking at you ROM), a proper mailroom with secure lockers, a gym, and a lounge with a pool table.


ROM – Second Round

Now going into ROM. Fewer big repair orders, which were mostly light bulbs and clogged toilets. More space, only one roommate. But damn.

The mail system is still a nightmare (see previous post). Laundry room was gross: no soap, stained chairs, lint volcanoes in the dryers.
Cooking turned my living-room-bedroom into a sauna, open every curtain and window, or suffocate. Bedroom design is… questionable.
Double doors from my roommate’s room straight into my “living room.”
Also, during the warmer weather, you had to deal with people arguing late at night and getting into fights since there is a bar nearby.


And I had more alone time and space compared to PA Place.

So going into conclusion, I had problems and positives with both places; however, honestly, I felt PA Place was better since, while there are issues, in terms of regular convenience, I felt it was better compared to ROM.

Upsides

Quieter overall, right next to campus/bus/train, more alone time.

Final Verdict

Both spots have their bullshit. But if I had to pick? PA Place edges it out for regular day-to-day convenience. ROM gave me more space and quiet, but the little daily annoyances added up heavier. Your mileage may vary depending on what you hate more — leaking ceilings or dirty laundry rooms.

What’s your experience? Drop it below. I’m out after this week and will be back for my next year in the fall, so spill some drama in case any of your readers are staying for summer classes.