For many first-years, moving into college is a daunting experience. Students begin a new chapter of life in, what is for most, a new city.
To mitigate the stress of students’ first year, Northeastern has students pick Living Learning Communities, or LLCs, which are theme-based residential arrangements that aim to match students with peers who share similar hobbies, interests or academic goals.
“An experience for the like-minded, LLCs bring students with similar interests, hobbies, and courses together for support and fun throughout their journey as a young Husky,” Northeastern’s housing website reads. “There’s a community for everyone!”
First-year students have the option to join one of three types of LLCs: college-affiliated, interdisciplinary or theme-based, with options ranging from pre-health to creative expression.
“I liked [the idea that] you have more control over the environment you’re placed in for your first year,” said Matteo Ostland, a second-year mathematics major. “I expected to be with like-minded people.”
While some students found LLCs to be a helpful way to transition into college life, others felt that other community-building methods, such as clubs and Greek life, have a longer-lasting effect.
For Ella Matteson, a second-year cell and molecular biology major who selected the College of Science LLC, being part of a community with peers who share her love for science was an exciting prospect. But as her freshman year continued, she said the influence of her LLC became less prominent. As college stress ramped up, most students found little time to care about which dorm they were assigned to — or the deeper meaning behind their assignments.
“That made me excited, the idea that I got to choose my community my first year, but I didn’t really think much of it later,” Matteson said.
For some students, selecting their LLC felt more like a formality than a pivotal college decision.
“I definitely checked boxes that made sense for me, I just honestly don’t really remember. It didn’t really influence my housing preference,” said Max Zurita McKinnon, a fourth-year public health major.
While community events are a key part of the LLC experience, some students felt disappointed by their execution.
“They did try to foster a sense of community with events, but these weren’t really science-related,” Matteson said. “It was a science LLC, but the events were just random.”
Ostland, who also lived in the College of Science LLC during his first year, had a similar experience.
“The main selling point Northeastern promotes when advertising the LLC to incoming students is that your LLC placement would be tailored to the LLC you’re in,” Ostland said. “For students in the sciences LLC, they would expect it to be related to science somehow, but it wasn’t.”
Ostland said that while the LLC system seems good in theory, sharing one interest with peers doesn’t necessarily lead to forming friendships.
“Making friends isn’t just about sharing one interest,” Osland said. “You typically need more than that to really connect with someone.”
Ultimately, students say LLCs can serve as a useful starting point. But their impact on student life diminishes as college becomes a more familiar environment. Ostland largely attributes his friendship with his peers to their placement off-campus at Midtown Hotel.
“For Midtown, aside from the LLC, I’d say it was a pretty special environment because we were all far from campus,” he said. “Like any college students you saw in that area, you knew they were in Midtown. So you kind of had that special bond,” Osland said.
Some students said that clubs and other extracurricular activities are a more meaningful way to foster community since they require a greater commitment.
“Clubs have been way more important to me, I definitely think so, at least for me. You gotta put effort there, but you don’t have to put any effort into your LLC,” McKinnon said.
To improve the LLC system, Ostland suggested making participation optional and encouraging students to meet people outside of their major or interests.
“One of the biggest issues with the LLC is that it’s mandatory, and the options Northeastern offers are particular and somewhat boring,” Osland said. “This can create echo chambers because college is about meeting people outside your usual circle.”
Matteson agreed that grouping students by interest can sometimes have a negative impact, as it prevents them from exploring different fields of study and learning about diverse perspectives.
“Living with people of the same major didn’t matter much. I think it’s better to live with people from different majors,” Matteson said. “I want to meet people who aren’t like me when in college — that’s what college is all about, meeting people you never thought you would meet.”
