Playing frisbee on Old Campus and frolicking on the lawns of residential colleges are integral parts of the freshman year at Yale.

Freshmen in Timothy Dwight have not traditionally lived on Old Campus, and this year they are not living in their usual home in the college proper. As TD undergoes its year-long renovations, its entire community has moved from Temple Street to the Swing Space, marking the first time freshmen have been housed in the new Tower Parkway dormitory.

While the new housing arrangements precludes many traditional amusements for TD frosh, many TD students said they come with unique advantages.

Nevertheless, when TD freshman Elliott Mogul first found out that he would be housed in Swing Space, he was not exactly jumping for joy.

“At first I was very disappointed,” Mogul said. “I couldn’t imagine being isolated at the edge of campus away from everything else.”

But Mogul added that he felt very comfortable with the arrangements after receiving encouraging e-mails about the new accommodations from the TD Master Robert Thompson and Dean John Loge.

Though somewhat secluded from the rest of campus, there are amenities such as air conditioning and kitchenettes that make living in the Swing Dorm a luxurious experience.

Many TD freshmen also said they see great benefit in still getting to live in close community with the upperclassmen in their college.

Sadiq Abdulla ’05 is one freshman who enjoys living with the upperclassmen in Swing Space.

“I think that it is great that we are able to meet with the upperclassmen and get valuable advice from them,” he said. “I miss the action that defines Old Campus, but the simple fact that we get to live with our upperclassmen makes up for all of this.”

Unlike other dorms, the three-story Swing Space is organized into hallways and not entryways. The freshmen are all being housed in the same area of the building, and each shares a double in a four-person suite.

TD freshman counselor Lucas Garrett ’02 said living in the same area of the dormitory is an advantage that the Class of 2005 has over past TD freshman classes which are traditionally split up around the residential college.

Mogul said that on the whole Swing Space seems to have many things going for it.

“I am definitely happy to be where I am, and I think most TD frosh agree with me,” Mogul said.