October 21, 2020 by

College was always something I was anticipating, so pulling in to visit Cedarville for the first time was something I was looking greatly forward to. When I visited Cedarville in the spring of 2018, I was blown away. I was blown away at how beautiful the campus was, how amazing the nice academic buildings were, and most importantly, how the students treated me like I was already a student at Cedarville. Walking down the sidewalks next to a beautiful lake, walking into a massive chapel that seats nearly 4,000 people, and being genuinely greeted by faculty and students was amazing and it’s an experience that I will remember for a long time.

-Picture taken Fall 2019-

Even though my visit was amazing, there was still the massive question floating in my head, “what’s Cedarville’s dorm experience like?” Yes, we did tour the residence halls, so we saw all the amenities that they had, but what was the experience truly like? You might have that same question floating around in your head as you read this. 

What is Cedarville’s residence hall experience like? 

My name is Justin Schlabach, I am a junior biblical studies major at Cedarville. It is no secret that dorm life is one of the most significant parts about college and I want to tell you that living in the residence halls at Cedarville has been one of the most formative experiences of my life at college. 

-Picture taken Fall 2019-

I have lived in Lawlor Hall for the past two years and I lived in Brock Hall during my freshman year. Cedarville residence hall life is something that is tremendously unique, it is a culture that is designed to make you feel a part of a community that disciples one another, cares for one another, and has an absolute blast with one another. Many of my closest friends are the friends who live in my unit in Lawlor, we love hanging out with each other. 

Some of my best memories from the first three years at Cedarville were with my unit brothers, like going to Tennessee, playing unit basketball every Sunday, and spontaneously going thrift store shopping in the middle of the day. We also grew closer to the Lord and each other throughout the years due to the fact that we have weekly unit meetings where we share our testimonies with each other, pray for one another, and enjoy fellowship with one another. 

Residence  life at Cedarville is special. The sweetest thing about it is the fact that it is full of people who want to know you and hear what’s going on in your life. The Resident Assistants (RAs) are there not only to facilitate things in your dorm, but also to get to know you and push you closer to Christ. 

The residence halls at Cedarville also have brother and sister halls. The academic year at Cedarville is packed with bro-sis events, such as hiking trips, running to get ice cream, worship nights, game nights, scavenger hunts, bro-sis brunch every Saturday, and so many other things. I even remember someone’s bro-sis going to a Cincinnati Reds baseball game together. There are so many things you can do through bro-sis events, and it’s unique because it allows you to know some people beyond the walls of your hall or unit. Being a part of bro-sis events is a very common thing at Cedarville. Not only are you able to get close with the people in your dorm and be a part of the community there, but there’s also a great community that comes from bro-sis events. 

-Picture taken Fall 2019-

Lastly, there are entire residence hall events that are put on by the Resident Directors (RD’s). Typically these events are unique to your hall. Many times these consist of fun games and unique challenges that build community with your specific hall or unit. There are worship nights, kickball nights, dodgeball tournaments, gaga ball tournaments, giant volleyball tournaments, and even trivia nights. Some of the unique events are specifically named, such as Lawlorpalooza (Lawlor Hall), Printy Wars (Printy Hall), Man Week (West Hall), Brocktober Fest (Brock Hall), Hallowilletts (Willetts Hall) and Gridiron, which are events that are annually put on by the residence halls and are a blast to be a part of and watch. 

The question I had when I was walking around Cedarville during my visit way back in 2018 was definitely answered. My expectations were exceeded in many ways and I have been deeply encouraged, challenged, and have had a ton of memories made as a result of living in Cedarville’s residence halls. The experience in the residence halls can be summed up in these three ways: 

  • Genuine Discipleship
  • Consistent Community
  • Life-Long Memories

The residence hall experience here is unlike any other, and I would highly encourage you to get involved in your dorm, the choice to invest in the people around you will enhance your Cedarville experience exponentially. 

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