Living

What’s the closest Northwestern shuttle stop to Willard? The closest stop is Sherman/Emerson (right at the corner of Willard).

Is Willard close to downtown Evanston? How far is Chicago?  Willard is one of the closest dorms to downtown Evanston! Target and Whole Foods, as well as other popular spots like Insomnia Cookies, are less than a ten minute walk away.  The  Foster and  Davis CTA stations are both around an 8 minute walk. Once you're on the L, you can be in Millennium Park in around an hour! Exec has hosted a Chicago trip for new freshmen in the past. Keep an eye out, because word on the street is that it's coming back...
Does Willard play intramural sports? Should I bring cleats? Shin guards? Sneakers? What’s appropriate? Yes, Willard does play IM sports. IMs are intended to be very casual–something anyone and everyone can participate in. So don’t go out and buy gear, but if you already have some (and it sounds like you do), bring it along. Our Faculty and Graduate Fellows are sometimes game to join teams as well!
Why are we so awesome? Scientists have been debating this issue for years; biologists tend to believe that we are genetically predisposed to be more awesome. They also contest that being in Willard causes a dramatic mutation of the orbitofrontal lobe, which controls social activity, causing Woos to be just plain cooler than others. However, certain psychologists have determined that Woos, when exposed to other Woos, flourish within the community of awesome people. I personally believe that the world has to be in constant balance, and the universe has given us these increased powers of awesome to make up for all the suck that is compacted into Shepard Hall.

Amenities

Are bed risers allowed? No, but the beds are adjustable, if you enlist the help of maintenance through the housing portal. Many students loft their beds, but others don't. 

How large can the mini-fridges be? Mini-fridges can be 3 cubic feet. 

Does Willard have air conditioning Yes! Our newly renovated building is fully air-conditioned and each room is individually temperature controlled with a thermostat!

How often/when are the bathrooms cleaned? The bathrooms are cleaned daily, but it’s really up to you to keep your bathrooms looking nice (and to keep the custodial staff happy).

Are there paper towels in the restrooms, or just dryers? Just dryers.…Although you can always bring your own towel.

What are bathrooms like? Is it hard to find a shower in the morning? The showers are clean. Unless you're on a smaller floor, like the first floor, you won't ever have to wait for a shower. In my experience, the cleanliness of each bathroom varies considerably depending on how well people in that area of the floor take care of their bathroom.

Do we have to pay for laundry? Nope! It's FREE! We have High-Efficiency washers and dryers on every single floor!

Does Willard have WiFi throughout the building? Yes! We love Eduroam. 

Is the internet connection at Willard fast enough? And if everyone’s using the internet at the same time, does the connection suffer? The internet at Willard is plenty fast. As far as anyone here knows, there hasn’t been any correlation between internet speed and number of users.

Should I bring a printer, copier or scanner? There is a printer/scanner in the basement of Willard for anyone to use! You can either print from a USB or use cloud printing. Very convenient. 

What channels/shows can you see on XFINITY on Campus if you connect to it? More than you can shake a stick at. (Unless you can shake a stick at premium channels like Starz and HBO.) The following channels are merely an aperitif to whet your NUTV appetite: NBC, ABC, Fox, CNN, ESPN, MTV, Discovery Channel, Comedy Central, Cartoon Network, and Al Jazeera.

What does Willard already have?

• Trash cans and recycling bins

• Built-in desk lights

• Air conditioning

• A fabulous community of students and faculty