A dented dry-erase board greets visitors outside Room 340 of McMaster University’s Les Prince Hall, which pretty much resembles every other single-residence unit in the history of higher education. Nestled amidst several hundred acres of marshland in Hamilton, Ont., this third-floor shoebox contains all the classic dorm amenities: drab carpet, fluorescent lights, extra-long twin mattress with the approximate firmness of plywood.
“Isn’t this like prison?” says 76-year-old Jerry Glanville, kicking aside his sandals and flopping onto the so-called bed. “I wonder how many multimillionaires have spent the night here.”
At least one. It’s late May and the afternoon sunlight is slipping through half-drawn shades, highlighting patches of paint missing from the white-brick walls.