Five Reasons to Live in SFP or OWA

Living in on-campus apartments helps students to build community with all of the amenities they are used to.

Daniel Concha Zegarra, Campus News Editor

Continuing with the housing option for HBS students’ series, we are now covering the top five reasons for living in apartments on campus. After securing spots through a housing lottery, students can opt to live in either Soldiers Field Park (SFP) or One Western Avenue (OWA). Both apartment complexes are located on campus just steps from main academic buildings such as Spangler and Aldrich.

We interviewed current residents to understand the following unique advantages over the residential halls:

1. Decoration:  Transforming an empty unit into a cozy and inviting space is not easy, but it is a fulfilling and enjoyable experience. Residents express their personal style and craft a space that reflects their personality, interests, and tastes. Decorating a unit is a fun and creative process that involves selecting colors and fabrics, choosing furniture and accessories, and arranging them in a way that creates a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing space called home. 

2. Sharing: Renting a unit with more than one bedroom not only offers a lower rent per resident and a person with whom to split household chores, it also offers the option to live with a family member, significant other, or friend. Companionship makes living in a shared unit a more enjoyable living experience because residents can foster long-lasting closer relationships.

3. Hosting: Organizing activities with section mates at home fosters a sense of community and friendship, especially for residents who are new in the city or country. Activities like dinner parties are a great way to know more about classmates and bond over shared interests and food. Additionally, hosting section mates at home can be a fun and relaxing way to unwind after a long 3-cases day. Whether for a dinner party, movie night, or game night, the ability to host can provide a much-needed break from case reading or recruitment. 

4. Pets: Offering unconditional love and loyalty, pets are welcome in both SFP and OWA. Pets provide residents companionship and emotional support. Living with a pet promotes physical activity such as walking, improves overall health, and requires responsibility and commitment, offering a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Pets have also facilitated residents’ social connections with other pet owners or animal lovers across campus and beyond.

5. Hospitality: Hosting guests for a few days in an apartment creates a sense of community and connection, making it a great experience for everyone involved. When friends or family members visit HBS, receiving them at home allows guests to fully immerse themselves in the life of an HBS student, giving them the advantage of the extra time to explore the area or engage in activities with their host. 

Stay tuned for our upcoming article about 5 reasons to live off campus.

Daniel Concha Zegarra (MBA ’24) is a Peruvian who spent 8 years in China before coming to HBS. He moved to Beijing to study a master’s degree as part of the Schwarzman Scholars Program at Tsinghua University. While in China, Daniel worked in technology, mainly mobile game development and publishing.