Unit 1 Reviews

i lived in unit 1 in putnam and had a really great experience!

it’s right next to campus and about 10 minutes from sproul. close to several bus stops. it’s a few minutes from telegraph, which is close enough to have fun but since that’s where most of the crime is concentrated it’s nice that it’s somewhat removed.

i lived in a double and it was pretty spacious, especially if you push the desks against the windows. the windows let in lots of natural light and have good curtains. some rooms have problems with cockroaches, but setting traps helps.

the bathrooms were nice enough. co-ed situation wasn't a problem. the bathroom stalls and showers didn’t have any gaps in them. water pressure was good. the sinks and stalls were cleaned every da...See more

Pros: close to campus, arguably one of the better dorms, living situation is alright
Cons: small, gross bathrooms and tiny stalls, loud

Overall, I had a good experience in Unit 1 Cheney. It was at a convenient location as its only one block from campus.

Lived in a triple in Cheney. Room is definitely tight, but if all 3 people aren't in the room always it feels fine. Big windows let in lots of natural light (I faced the street).
Location is better than most since it's very close to the East edge of campus and about a 10 min walk to other areas. Also a safe location walking to it at night since so many students are around.
Bathrooms are what you'd expect; shower pressure can vary from the shower stalls and if you don't have people who are courteous lots of hair will pile up over the drain.
The building itself is old but not too old; one of the only units in Unit 1 which has an elevator that tells you what floor the elevator is stopping on (so you're not just guessing where it is). It has r...See more

Lowkey the triple was bigger than I expected. However bathroom wise is really a draw of luck. Cause the guys in my floor don’t know how to aim. Also my floor always smells like weed. The location is nice cause it’s closer compared to unit 2 to campus.

An overall good experience. I lived on floor 1 of Cheney and although the style of the dorm wasn't very modern, it wasn't too bad. Lived in a double which if you arrange the beds a certain way, you get a decent amount of floor space. they have pretty big windows for sunlight to get in so that was always nice. Co-ed bathrooms took some getting used to but it wasn't a big deal. The showers were pretty dingy and reminded me of camp site showers that were cramped with gross floors and hair sticking to the side of the walls. One elevator and two washers and dryers every other floor was sometimes inconvenient to have to wait. It's not horrible, but it isn't amazing either. Would say Unit 1 is a good option though for close proximity to campus and...See more

I lived in Putnam Hall and had an incredible freshman year! Of the units at Cal, unit one IS THE BEST! It's extremely close to campus/telegraph ave. and provides a great community. The units are older but give you that classic first year experience! I think everyone should try the units and know that you'll have all your amenities provided for while you navigate the college experience! Putnasty 4 life!!

Close to crossroads; medium distance to central campus (i.e. Wheeler); nice view if you are facing the Golden Gate Bridge; some floors of freeborn are somewhat socially dead; some doubles are pretty large (comparable to a triple), the one I lived in is larger than normal Blackwell rooms; close to bus stops; elevator may fail.

I lived in a Slottman mini-suite triple and it had a really nice view and excellent space. It was on the 6th floor and looked over the field and bay. The bathroom was shared by 5 people and it never felt cramped. I was really lucky since other triple mini suites were smaller on the lower floors and had a view of the parking lot instead. The common area on the 6th floor was usually empty except for dead week.
The slight cons were that at least one elevator was frequently down and not all of the laundry machines were working all the time, but it wasn't that big of a deal.
Everything was usually cleaned and routinely maintained; the kitchen and common space on the lounge floor were always neat. Really loved my freshman year <3

I lived in a penthouse room (top floor!) and the view of the campinile was AMAZING. I could also see the courtyard and even the BAY (Golden Gate Bridge!!) Living in the dorms was such a good experience. It was kinda crowded, but I loved my roomies and we kept the dorm clean. There were on floor lounges that opened up pretty late but when they did, everyone got to study and hang out together. Unit 1 is the best bc we're not that close to People's Park and we're closer to campus. The AC was also cleaner and nicer than Unit 2's hehe. I met so many friends just living in the dorms! I miss Berkeley :(