News

First ever Waseda International Dormitory (WID) near main campus

In spring 2018, Waseda University will be launching a new Waseda International Dormitory (WID) in Waseda just five minute walk away from the main campus of the University. It will also be catering breakfast and dinner for the dormitory students, and a dormitory master will be present to ensure safety of all students. Additionally, WID Waseda is also equipped with comprehensive facilities such as discussion rooms, common dining rooms, public baths and saunas. It will be housing 500 local and international students.

Students living in WIDs

The following residence assistant (RA) and students are currently living in Waseda International Dormitories (WIDs). An RA is a student leader living at a dormitory who provides student support for dormitory students.

Outside view of WID Waseda

There are common dining rooms and lounges which are free to use by all dormitory students and be used for special events. When spring comes and sakura blossoms, a spectacular view of rows of blooming sakura trees can be seen through the glass windows.

 

Rooms and facilities

Theme rooms on female floors
There is total of four common rooms on the female floors (fourth and fifth floors) that revolve around the themes of matsuri (Japanese festival), sado (tea ceremony), Yakushima (an island to the south of Kyushu) and Tokyo.

Theme rooms on male floors

Similar to the female floors, there are also two theme rooms on each of the male floor (second and third floors). The themes revolve about teien (Japanese garden), kabuki, sumo and Mount Fuji.

Floor plan of a typical room

Every student will have their own private room at the dormitory. Each room is furnished with a study desk, chair, closet, drawer, book shelf and personal refrigerator. Students are to bring their own mattress and pillows.

 

 

Common baths and sauna rooms

In the common female and male common bathrooms on the first floor of the dormitory, each bathroom comes with a sauna room – dry sauna room for male and mist sauna room for female bathroom.

 

What do the students think about WID Waseda?

Nicholas Peters

Peters is a second year student studying at the Graduate School of Political Science, and will be a residence assistant (RA) providing support for upcoming students living in WID Waseda. Exclaiming that the WID Waseda was way bigger than where he currently lived at WID Hanakoganei, Peters is very much looking forward to his new home at WID Waseda. He particularly likes the lounges on each floor, pointing out that they are great spaces for social interaction and exchange among Japanese and international students. Additionally, Peters also feels grateful that dinner will be served till 11pm at the dormitory.

Peters recommends Waseda students to live in school dormitories if they are given a chance instead of living by themselves. He recalls his life in his previous dormitory as a melting pot of cultures where everyone from all over the world gets to meet one another every day. He is looking forward to serve the student body at the dormitory and plans to organize at least one event per month.

When asked about his future plans after graduation, Peters said that he would either further his studies or seek employment in international relations.

Ayumi Akamatsu

Akamatsu is a third year student belonging to the School of Human Sciences. When she visited the new dormitory, she was surprised by the comprehensive facilities it is equipped with, such as the sauna rooms. She is also fond of the kitchen in each lounge, commenting that the space is huge and able to accommodate many students. She could imagine how enjoyable it would be it eating with dormitory mates at the lounges.

Akamatsu was born in Ehime prefecture and left home first time for Tokyo to study at Waseda University. She remembers feeling homesick but her dormitory mates, residence assistants as well as dormitory master and mistress in her current dormitory (WID Tokorozawa) were kind and nice to her. They made her feel at home and that she had made the right choice to live in a school dormitory. In agreement with Peters, Akamatsu thinks that students can experience many different cultures and hear various languages at the dormitories of Waseda University.

Kaori Suehiro

Suehiro, a student at the School of  Culture, Media and Society, is living at WID Tokorozawa. As the dormitory at Tokorozawa only houses 60 students, she could not imagine what the atmosphere will be like at WID Waseda, which will be housing 500 students. She feels that her dormitory life at WID Tokorozawa is enjoyable because she gets to meet new people and enjoy their company.

Suehiro is currently studying Chinese and hopes to utilize her language ability in her future career. Speaking of her international experience, she is always looking forward to meeting international students at her dormitory for language exchange, especially Chinese who she can practice speaking Mandarin with.

Photos are provided by Ishigaki.