Room Specifications

A residence hall at Saint John's is a home away from home. We want students to have a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable stay in our residence halls. Therefore, we have set some guidelines within the restrictions of school policies. Before moving in, review the guidelines, decide what to bring, and discuss needs and the costs of room personalization. Plan for decorating and arranging the room, and discuss a budget. Studies show that students comfortable and happy in their housing situation are more likely to return to campus housing and have more positive attitudes toward academics and socialization. With this in mind, please read the following guidelines on room personalization at Saint John's.

University Furniture

All rooms in residence halls at Saint John's include furnishings of:

  • Sink
  • Beds w/mattresses
  • Desks w/chairs
  • Wastebaskets/recycle bins
  • Bookshelves
  • Drapes/shades
  • Wardrobe/closets with shelves
  • Towel bars
  • Internet

Rooms don't include dressers, but closets have deep storage shelves.

Note: Students may not remove University furnishings from rooms or apartments. Storage of University furniture outside of an assigned residence area is not allowed.

Closets/Shelving

Thomas Hall
Thomas Hall closets have five shelves spaced roughly 8.5 inches apart; they are 18" deep and 12.5" wide. Around chest level, the shelves stop, and there is an open area 41" tall. This space is the same depth and width as the shelves, only taller. Across the top of this open space is a rod for hanging clothes or other items.

Mary Hall
Mary Hall closets have six shelves spaced roughly 8" apart; they are 18" deep and 12" wide. There is a bottom space from the floor to the 1st shelf about 18" high. The space from the top shelf to the ceiling is about 15".

We encourage students to invest in storage containers for use as pull-out drawers on the shelves. Under the bed storage containers are also useful.

Mattresses

  • All mattresses are size twin extra long (39" x 80")
  • Water beds are not allowed in residence halls at Saint John's

Lofts

Students can rent a bed loft for their residence hall room from Bedloft.com. This product is a convenient, affordable way to maximize space and comfort. Order early to guarantee free delivery and assembly before move-in day.

Note: Bed Lofts are only available for the following halls:

  • Bernard Hall
  • Boniface Hall - Note: Bunked beds are not an option
  • Mary Hall
  • Patrick Hall - Note: Bunked beds are not an option
  • Tommy Hall

Note: Bunk beds are an option in other residential areas. Most other locations contain furniture that comes with lofting devices.

Decorations

Please keep the following in mind when decorating the room:

  • LED light strips or anything that requires adhesive strips or nails to hang are not allowed as they cause damage to walls and paint.
  • Removable wallpaper or other adhesive materials applied directly to walls, cabinets, heaters, etc., is not allowed within residential rooms or apartments as they cause damage to walls and paint.
  • The fire code prohibits using Christmas lights (or strand lighting) where they come in contact with flammable materials. Students may not use strand lighting to decorate around the door or in the hallways.
  • For safety, avoid creating "pinch points" when hanging lights. Pinch points can occur when lighting runs through doorframes, windows, drawers, or under or around bed frames/lofts. A pinched cord creates the possibility of a short, which is a fire hazard.
  • Limit the amount of paper materials used in decorating the room. Paper and other flammable decorations may cover no more than 75% of the door to help prevent rapid fire spread down the hallway from room to room.
  • When decorating the room, students may not remove any permanent or semi-permanent fixtures (e.g., shelves, lighting, furniture in the room provided by the Institutions).
  • When decorating for holidays, natural and organic decorations, including but not limited to pumpkins, natural branches, or trees, are not permitted in any residence area. Only artificial decorations are permitted in student rooms, apartments, and lounges.
  • Non-outdoor furniture, including furniture owned by the Institutions and furniture belonging to a student, may not be used outside.
  • Campus-owned furniture, including both indoor and outdoor furnishings, must remain in the locations where these furnishings are placed on campus.
  • Traffic and street signs are prohibited in residence halls. Life Safety confiscates such signage found in campus housing.

Carpet

Rooms are carpeted, which insulates them from noise and cold and can make the spaces more attractive.

Modifications to the Room

Students may not structurally modify on-campus residences in any way. Students cannot paint, panel, or build walls.

For additional information, visit What To Bring.