As below-freezing temperatures blow through Boston this January, the tensions described by the Boston Architectural College (BAC) students living in Emerson College’s Little Building last fall have started to melt away as the new semester begins.

“As far as students, I am pleased to say they are much more accepting to us being here,” said Benton Bailey, a first-year BAC student. “I hope that there are less road bumps than there were last semester.”

In the fall, some BAC students described difficulties connecting with Emerson students on the other floors of the Little Building, but Bailey said the banter from Emerson students has become more “playful.” 

While connections with Emerson students have improved, the architecture students said their smaller community remains tight-knit.

“It feels like we haven’t left,” said first-year student Celine Abusaaddh. “Even though we live at Emerson, everyone from the BAC is here to help us with everything.”  

However, communications from the BAC haven’t always been reliable, according to Bailey, specifically referencing an email sent to the students this past August informing them of their Emerson residence for the academic year. Going into this new semester, Bailey said, the combination of improved communications from BAC and detailed information from Emerson’s Housing and Residential Education department have eased some of his housing concerns.

In the fall, BAC students moved in one week earlier than Emerson students. This semester, the architecture students started a week later than Emerson, on Jan. 21 compared to the college’s Jan. 13.

“Emerson has provided us with a space for relaxation, which really does help with the BAC’s workload being as stressful as it is,” said first-year student Naji Torres.

Torres said the lounge spaces in the Little Building have been one of the BAC students’ favorite things about dorming at Emerson.

“We moved around these lounges so that it’s very inclusive,” said Torres, who was sitting in a common room at the time of the interview, and gestured to the couches set up in a semicircle pattern. “We have this big area for gathering many people at a time.”

The BAC’s Bachelor of Architecture program is a five-and-a-half year program, meaning those who start the program in the fall also graduate in the fall, leaving a vacancy for new students to move in. This spring, there are 30 BAC students living on their dedicated floor—two more students than last semester, according to college spokesperson Rosemary Lavery. 

“We welcomed [the new students] with open arms … It’s like they’ve been here since the beginning,” said Maurene Witherow, a BAC graduate student.

Bailey said the other BAC students will “be like family,” and encouraged new students to maintain peaceful connections with students from both colleges. “A happy dorm is a peaceful dorm,” he said.

BAC students encouraged the two new students living on their floor to take advantage of Emerson’s amenities such as the Max, the Lion’s Den, and the gym. 

“Don’t be afraid to explore … see what you can have access to at Emerson,” Witherow said.

A main concern from the BAC students, however, was having access to such amenities at the end of the semester. While Emerson spring classes end on May 1, the BAC main courses continue through May 10. 

“It might be like Thanksgiving break when they shut down the dining halls,” Witherow said, “and we were all scrambling to figure out what to do.”

According to Lavery, BAC student meals will continue through May 11 as part of the college’s extended-stay meals when the dining center closes. As of now, the partnership between Emerson College and the BAC remains valid for one year. 

“There’s definitely a concern of where we will be dorming [next year], because it’s not a guarantee with us,” Torres said.

“The College remains open to discussing potential opportunities for partnership in the future,” wrote Lavery in a statement to The Beacon. “Emerson encourages BAC students to stay in touch with their institution regarding housing plans and updates.”

The architecture students said they will continue to appreciate the time and space they have at Emerson while it lasts.

“This is my first time living in a dorm … I am grateful that I did have a good school to live at,” Witherow said.