Cosily tucked behind the Amelia Saputo and Keating Centres is a small, fifty-person residence known as FX Hall. Not quite as grandiose as the suite halls, and with less than a quarter of the residents in buildings such as Mount Saint-Bernard or Bishops, it remains a charming, unique building in its own right.
I will preface this piece with a disclaimer: I am a two-time resident of FX Hall. I spent my first year there in a double room and am currently spending my third year in the building working as a Community Advisor. In short, I am absolutely biased. I did spend a year in-between enjoying a nice, calm experience at O'Regan Hall, but when I got offered a job returning to FX, I could not resist coming home. My objective here is not to advertise the building, but more so to talk about why I personally appreciate the residence. It is a spot I believe to be far too often ignored on campus.
FX is an old building. Originally, it was known as Coady-McNeil, being a part of the Coady International Institute. At first glance, one may mistake it for a 1930s prison. We are not exactly dealing with the pristine architecture of Riley, O’Regan, or Governors, and it is a far cry from that weird modernist look that the Mulroney Institute assumes, but as far as I’m concerned, who needs it? FX has its own thing going on. Its interior is characterised by large white bricks that also make up the walls of the dorm rooms. Those of us who get a single room are blessed with a sink– an amenity that no other building outside of the suite halls get to enjoy– and while those in doubles don’t get the sink, the rooms are very spacious, and there is a pod bathroom next to each one.
The building also comes equipped with one of the nicer lounges on campus. It's fairly large (although not as large as the big, empty rooms in O’Regan and Riley) and includes a TV, ping-pong table, and a mural for residents to sign their name (painted by our very own John Julien and Lily Trudel this year). Also included is our famous FX Hall patio, which may look like a bunch of almost uniform concrete slabs and a picnic table but is actually a place where many residents made some fond memories. Additionally, there is a second picnic table placed further away from the building for the residents who might want to enjoy a smoke without going too far away. The building also comes with a large kitchen where one could find residents cooking up all sorts of meals on any given night. My personal favourite spot is the CA Hub (again, I am absolutely biased), which acts as a sort of second lounge.
There are geographical pros and cons to this building. It is about as far away from any lecture hall as one could get while remaining on campus, meaning that poor weather leads to miserable commutes from the residence to class. Residents may also find themselves annoyed whenever a sports game is occurring and we’re not able to traverse under the ‘tunnel’ (the bleachers by the X field). There is no sidewalk between the building and MacIsaac either, meaning you can either walk on the roadside or Nova Scotia’s signature walking paths: wet grass. That being said, it is directly next door to the Keating and Saputo centres, so it's perfect for anyone who frequents the student gym. Even more importantly, it is the second closest residence building to Tim Horton’s (no, I am not counting Somers and Powers), making it ideal for those of us that are regular pedestrians on James Street- Not to mention decent proximity to the aptly named Liquor Lane.
I talked to Lexi Hubbard, the current SCA of the building who also took the role of CA last year.
“I’ve been here two years now, and this building seems to draw in some of the best people who all kind of find each other in ways I haven’t really seen in other buildings. There’s always people hanging out in the lounge or cooking stuff in the kitchen.”
I must agree with Lexi fully here, community is one of FX Hall’s strongest points. With a capacity for about fifty residents, one easily gets to know most of their neighbours through the programs us CAs run or simply by popping into our lounge on any given evening. Students are also welcome to join the staff in the CA Hub during their shifts. The experience was similar during my first year, the place really creates a tight-knit community. In my time as a CA, I have been lucky enough to see my residents growing closer, regularly meeting up for study sessions/movie nights/ping pong competitions.
“I like that the people feel like family,” says CA Lily Trudel, agreeing with Lexi.
Another CA, Alisha Lalani, had some thoughts on the building too.
“Coming from India to FX Hall and going through all the changes, my best decision was staying here. It's cozy, welcoming, and I have no complaints about anything. Whatever I needed, FX had. It truly provided the peacefulness and comfort of home away from home.”
Alisha really doubles down on my favourite aspect of the building: the quietness.
CA Daphne Jardine shared their thoughts on living here too.
“FX Hall is a hidden gem on the StFX campus. The University staff, specifically [our custodian] Andrea, and the students who live in this building create such a loving and caring community. Anyone would be lucky to live in FX Hall, and I thank my lucky stars every day that I ended up here when I needed it the most.”
It's not just the CAs who think the building is great either. I asked a few of our residents what they think, starting with Shree Vikram, a Masters in Applied Computer Science student in his second year both as a Xaverian and an FX resident, what he thinks.
“Based on the environment- it’s quiet, cozy, the lounge and hub, the kitchen especially, are big and spacious, compared to other residence buildings. Much of the building is international students, which leads to cool exposure to different cultures. I like this residence so much that I decided to apply for the same room two years in a row.”
FX indeed happens to have the most international students of any building on campus. In my own experience it has been an honour to get to learn about cultures from all over the world.
I also asked Elie Charron, an international student from France who spent a term in FX Hall back in 2022
“Well I had a great time there, and if you're a student and get the opportunity to study in another country, you should seize it.”
Finally, I asked Jackson Begin, a third-year Anthropology student, about his experience.
“I lived in Cam[eron] Hall during my first year, but I didn’t want to live in a double. I was relocated into FX Hall, which at that point I’ve already heard from many of my friends that it's a peaceful, quiet, and kind of homey residence. When I moved there in January, I had all of those things confirmed for me in the best way possible. I lived in a fun, tight-knit community with my friends that's perfect for people with a preference towards quieter, more tame environments.”
I think these student accounts speak for themselves.
The reason I consider it a ‘forgotten’ residence is simply because it's often just that, a forgotten place. FX often finds itself unmentioned, it does not get a page on StFX’s official website for residences, on occasions where residents gathered to do their house cheers, we have sometimes been skipped over and has even been left out in lists of residences in articles by the Xaverian Weekly.
Regardless, my experience in the building has been nothing short of great. I’m rather interested in what the next academic year will bring for the building. I hope to return there for my fourth and final year to work as a CA again. A big part of the building is the events that both us CAs and the house council run, from movie and trivia nights to our famous ‘Jam Sessions with J.T. and Daphne’. So here is my recommendation for anyone seeking housing for next year: apply to FX.