JAKE BILYEU
News Writer
bilyeujc@plu.edu
Foss Hall closed last year and students had to live in it through its last days, meanwile, the residents of Stuen Hall were enjoying their newly renovated home.
As Pacific Lutheran University celebrates 125 years since the school first opened, it may seem impossible to track down all of the changes that the campus has undergone over the years.
Upon returning for the new school year, students saw the immediate effects of the change to the residence hall culture.
This year, while Foss no longer hosts students, Ordal Hall offers its residents a similar renovation experience to what Stuen offered last year. (Through all of the changes happening on campus recently, reminiscing about PLU’s days of old suddenly has new meaning.)
Many current PLU students have witnessed the switch first-hand. Sophomore Salomon Gonzalez spent his first year in Foss Hall before making the switch to Ordal. While he noted that Ordal has been a major upgrade physically, he misses the camaraderie of his old Foss “First in the Family” Wing.
“Living with people that were going through the same experiences was great,” Gonzalez said. “It helped that we were all from the same area.”
Stuen RA Ian Smith, a senior, transitioned smoothly from Foss into his new living space. While he also remembers Foss having a great community, he has already noticed Stuen following suit.
“Everyone in Foss would keep their doors open and felt free to talk to anybody,” Smith said. “Stuen has a very similar community. People are very open to talking and enjoy doing activities together.”
Smith enjoys the improved living conditions of Stuen, but mentioned another main aspect of Foss that he’ll really miss. “The Green Movie Room.”
PLU Alumni have more to offer about the past than current students could ever come up with. Class of ‘83 graduate, Barbara Greco has plenty of fond memories of her time at PLU. Among strange recollections like Foss Pond and the bowling alley next to the Cave, Greco remembers the comfortable environment of Stuen Hall.
“It felt like a family,” Greco said. “Everyone bonded and gave an identity to the hall.” While she also noted that “it’s surprising how much things do change,” current Stuen and Ordal residents have maintained their halls’ safe family environment.
While it may be out with the old and in with the new, former Foss residents will always remember that hall as their college home for a time, and they will surely remember what they learned there and apply it to their new communities. The heated bathroom floors probably help, too.
