When I visited Colby’s campus during my college search, I was blown away by the College’s beautiful buildings; the newly constructed Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center, picturesque Miller Library, historic Lorimer Chapel, and the impressive Museum of Art were just a few that made me excited about the prospect of spending four years on Mayflower Hill. However, one part of campus had the opposite effect: Hillside.
The Hillside residence halls were designed by Benjamin Thompson and completed in 1967. They provide a break from the College’s Georgian Revival architecture, instead offering a contemporary element to campus. Despite receiving one of the twenty national honors awards distributed by the American Institute of Architects, I would not describe Williams, Marriner, Leonard, Sturtevant, and Taylor as a sight for sore eyes. Instead, the Hillside dorms are “unwelcoming, hostile, and, quite frankly, ugly,” according to Marikate Marshall `26.
The summer going into my first year, I was nervous and eager to receive my housing assignment. I attributed these feelings to the prospect of living with new people rather than to concerns about the building I would be living in. Nevertheless, this changed when I saw that I was placed in a forced quad in Marriner. As a member of the women’s soccer team, the upperclassmen on the team warned me about Hillside. They spoke of the moldy rooms, the “Hillside shuffle,” and the unfavorable location. Although I went into the year with a positive attitude, all these points quickly became a reality. Other members of Hillside and I were constantly ill, but the College dismissed evidence of black mold. The icy road leading to the dorms was dangerous; I watched countless people fall and feared that I would be next. Removed from the campus center, the trek to class and other activities was a hassle. Every freezing cold day provoked an internal debate about whether or not I would leave the confines of Marriner.
Shea Donnelly `29, current resident of Taylor, elaborated on this further: “I think Hillside is inconvenient to where the main buildings are, such as the Athletic Center. I also feel like the dorms are not nearly as nice compared to other first-year dorms on campus.”
Rumors have arisen about the prospect of the Hillside residence halls being torn down. I asked one of my first-year year roommates, Zoe Lament `26, about her thoughts on this. She explained, “Hillside doesn’t necessarily need to be knocked down, but it does need some serious TLC. The outside structures and locations of the buildings aren’t the problem – it’s the outdated, moldy insides. No amount of cleaning and upkeep can solve the issues in Hillside that have existed for years. At a minimum, the entire inside needs a revamp.”
I wholeheartedly agree with Zoe’s assessment of Hillside. There are ways to avoid destroying the dorms entirely, but changes still need to be made.
This is not to say that my first-year year Hillside experience was all bad. A lot of the people I met in Marriner are my best friends to this day. The memories we created and the laughs we shared in the third-floor common room are truly unforgettable. We made the most of our living situation. I am incredibly grateful for the people who made the place.
Only time will tell if the conversations about Hillside’s potential reconstruction are true. At the end of the day, I understand that these dorms have historical and cultural value. This does not, however, prevent Hillside residents and other members of campus from recognizing the nuisance that is the Hillside dorms. It seems there is no correct solution to this argument. If the Hillside dorms stay, there will be trouble, but if they leave, there could be double.
~ Jadyn Liebman `26
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