Olds Residence may look like an abandoned 7-Eleven, but it’s the best freshman women’s dorm. 

Sure, the fire alarm went off six times last year  — or was it more? We stopped counting.

Yes, one of those times was at 3 a.m., and all 80 of us stumbled outside in pajamas and with bedhead. 

And if it were to ignite, it would become the largest human sacrifice in Michigan history. No one today could build a dorm with only one exterior door and no exterior windows aside from the lobby and still meet fire code.

Yet because of not in spite of — these glaring inadequacies, Olds has a charm and a community unparalleled by McIntyre Residence. 

What Olds lacks in safety, aesthetics, and amenities, it makes up for in the things that really matter, the things worth reminiscing about with old classmates years after graduation. The identity of Olds is built on enduring friendships, joy, and sisterhood. 

Senior Helen Schlueter, a former Olds resident, said almost all her deepest friendships at Hillsdale were formed in Olds. 

“From my friend Margaret randomly joining my sit-up routine while brushing her teeth, to the epic Olds flag football team, Olds forged a bond that far surpasses the one whirl of freshman year,” Schlueter said. 

Olds’ community bathrooms and single entrance foster a strong sense of sisterhood among freshmen and resident assistants.  Whether they see one another every day sitting desk, brushing their teeth, or making popcorn, Olds women develop enduring, intentional relationships. Bonds that begin down the hall grow into deep friendships founded upon shared faith, values, and memories.

Junior Michaela Estruth, head RA of Olds, said she looks back on her time as a freshman in Olds as one of building friendships. 

To Estruth, the community bathrooms (which McIntyre lacks) provide a natural setting for the conversations and laughter that build the tight-knit community of Olds.

“I was absolutely terrified of communal bathrooms freshman year,” Estruth said. “But a few months in, I was brushing my teeth and washing my face next to some of my closest friends. Even now as an RA, I look forward to those conversations that happen at 1 a.m., or the faint ‘morning!’ after having just woken up.”

The quirks of Olds give it charm. The building bears the marks of generations of student residents. Framed pictures on the wall date back to 1960, the year the dorm was built. Freshmen quickly bond over Olds’ infamous lack of air conditioning and its tiny rooms with low ceilings. 

“Olds has given me an affection for the kind of inefficiency which only comes from old, well-used things” Schlueter said. 

Olds’ quirkiness makes it memorable. Olds women will always have stories to tell about their time together. 

Last year, my friends and I dragged our mattresses, sheets and all, to one of the interior courtyards and slept beneath the stars. We woke the next morning to birdsong and dewy blankets, and laughed as we lugged our beds back inside before running off to class. 

“My freshman year, my roommate and I bonded over a very elaborate three-part step to opening our stubborn door: turn the handle to the left, hold for three seconds, say a prayer and then force forward,” Schlueter said. “Then we bonded over climbing in through the window when the door finally refused to budge.”

Olds culture instills a loyalty in freshmen that remains for many years. Annual events like Mock Rock, Olds Glow, and dorm bonding during orientation draw large numbers of former Olds residents whose spirit remains strong. 

Estruth said she already sees sisterhood taking shape among the current freshmen.

“I’m honored and humbled to live with such sweet women,” Estruth said. “We are hardly two weeks in but I can tell these girls are embracing the community and living up to the legacy.”

The Class of 2027, like so many before, will soon find there’s nothing like late-night life talks and even later-night false fire alarms to bond with the women who will be forever friends.