Residential Life
Housing
Between three and five students live in each of our five historic houses, located adjacent to Mystic Seaport Museum and the Mystic River. These 19th-century homes, where shipbuilders, mill workers, and fishermen once lived, are outfitted with wireless internet and the furnishings and comforts of a modern home. Our houses are equipped with a full kitchen, with everything from a coffee pot to cookie sheets and teaspoons. Each house also has a washer and dryer, as well as a driveway for student vehicles. The Williams-Mystic student life director serves as a house advisor, contact and resource for student housing needs, understanding that this may be the first time many of our students have lived in co-operative housing outside of college dorms.
The atmosphere is warm and casual, yet intellectually invigorating, as you live and study with students from many different colleges. For example, an American studies major from Tufts University may be the roommate of a music major from Oberlin College; a marine biology major from the University of Connecticut may live with an English major from Carleton College; a Chinese major from Wellesley College may share a house with an engineering major from the University of California. The combinations allow unlimited opportunities for you to gain new perspectives.
Cooperative Living
Just as members of a ship’s crew develop an extraordinary bond through shared experience and mutual trust, your class becomes melded together by the dynamics of Williams-Mystic. Each house receives a grocery stipend each week that covers the costs of provisions. Students prepare family-style dinners together and share in the responsibilities of daily life, often inviting Williams-Mystic faculty, staff and even Mystic Seaport Museum employees to share a meal. Using student residential life forms as the guide, WM staff considers every detail when placing students in their homes; for example, vegetarians often live together, early-risers may share a house, and night owls share another, depending on the responses from each class.
Sustainability
With frequent insights from students' experiences, Williams-Mystic is committed to increasing its sustainable living initiatives. We have several sustainability practices implemented on our campus, including composting bins and energy monitors for each house. Student insight is always welcome and suggestions from past students have created new traditions and practices within the houses, both officially and unofficially.
About Mystic
The coastal village of Mystic, Connecticut, and the nearby area, is a popular destination for tourists, history lovers and boaters, while also home to a vibrant year-round community of residents who have chosen to live in this idyllic part of the New England coastline. Students become locals, finding loads of ways to enjoy the region, whether on foot, by bike or by water. Spend a free day wandering historic streets, body surfing Atlantic rollers, eating a lobster roll or going sailing on the Mystic River —with an ice cream break at the Drawbridge somewhere in the middle, of course.
For those looking to explore this part of New England further, Mystic is located almost exactly between Boston and New York (about two hours from each city), and has an Amtrak station with daily service across the northeast.