The Convent
25 Singles - 25 Residents
1601 Allston Way
Berkeley, CA 94703
Wheelchair Accessible
Limited to Graduate and re-entry (age 25 or older) students only. Students need to verify their eligibility before they can be assigned. Only UC Berkeley graduate and re-entry students are eligible to live in the Convent during the Academic Year.
The Convent is in fact a former convent, but the studious, cloistered nuns have long since been replaced by studious, cloistered graduate and re-entry students. Well, at least some of them are studious. The almost deity-like powers of maturity possessed by these wise scholars allow them to maintain a house that is clean, orderly, environmentally friendly, and fairly quiet. Well-roundedness of convent residents is ensured by regular games of pool, foosball, or dance-dance revolution in the spacious chapel-cum-game room, as well as many insightful crossdisciplinary discussions of academic esoterica. Occasionally, residents relive their heady college days during infamous once-a-semester parties, karaoke nights, and other social gatherings.
Since cooking is a fabulous way to procrastinate thesis-writing, Convent meals tend to be elaborate many-course affairs of almost disgusting decadence. In short, The Convent serves as an ideal place for both immersing oneself in one’s studies and escaping from the books for some real live human interaction.
The Convent sports a pool table (which hosts occasional tournaments), piano, dartboard, and extensive exercise equipment.
Note: Residents of The Convent, regardless of gender identification, refer to themselves as "sisters" or "nuns." This is the house culture. If this is a concern for anyone, Hillegass Parker may be a better housing selection for graduate and/or re-entry students who object to being referred to in this way. (7/5/2023)