Contributor Pall Agarwal shares her thoughts on housing at the U of R
Choosing where to live on-campus is actually a bigger decision than it seems. As the University of Regina (U of R) has many options including the Kisik Towers, the Wakpa and Paskwaw towers, College West and Luther College, students often rely on word of mouth reviews, quick tours, or whatever availability the university has to offer.
I have always had it in my bucket list to live on campus as it is an incredible college experience to have for life. I have come to realize that every building on the U of R campus has its own personality, especially after starting living on campus since fall 2025. However, some shine brighter than others.
Kisik Towers
If I had all the money in the world, I would pick the Kisik towers without question. It’s the most modern housing on campus with spacious rooms which are updated, well-maintained, and actually usable. It also has one of the nicest multipurpose rooms on campus which is a big and brightly lit room with comfortable seating, a table tennis setup, and access to gaming equipment. It is an ideal location for movie nights, study breaks or simply just decompressing after long class days. It feels like a real space built for students and actively used by students.
It often makes me wonder about the maintenance gap in different buildings. This gap is rather noticeable when compared to the renovations and state of amenities in the Wakpa and Paskwaw towers. The beautiful multipurpose room is only accessible to the Kisik tower residents unless you contact a Resident Assistant (RA) to let you in which is understandable from a security standpoint.
The cherry on the top is that both the towers [Wakpa and Paskwaw] connect to each other through an underground route, creating a fully indoor-access experience […] One can simply go around the whole campus without stepping their foot outside the building, something that I take a lot of pride in.” – Pall Agarwal
Wakpa and Paskwaw Towers
Wakpa and Paskwaw offer more affordable options and make on campus living possible for many students who need a cost-conscious choice. But affordability comes with tradeoffs. Anyone who has lived in Wakpa or Paskwaw knows how poor the state of the table tennis paddles and pool tables is, making them not usable. Even the lounge areas feel a bit outdated.
Still, these buildings deliver something that the Kisik towers can’t – an unmatched connectivity. Wakpa connects directly to the Education Building, and Paskwaw links to the Administration Humanities building and the Classroom building. The cherry on the top is both the towers connect to each other through an underground route, creating a fully indoor access experience. When winter temperatures hit -40°C with windchills, being able to completely dodge the cold becomes priceless for many students. One can simply go around the whole campus without stepping their foot outside the building, something that I take a lot of pride in.
While the Luther College residence is disconnected from the rest of the university, the College West residence is close to the Riddell Centre. What many students don’t know is that the Luther College residence is not only open to Luther College students but to all U of R students.
Being approximately midway from both the Classroom building and the Education building and close to the Riddell food court, many prefer the College West residence to that of other more distant buildings.
Where to find help?
I was struggling to choose the right option as I had a lot of restrictions financially. The easiest way to do that was to connect with the housing staff and find out the different options so that they could help me make the right decision. It’s easy to connect with them via email at housing.services@uregina.ca or Kisik Tower’s Front Desk between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The staff is really friendly and usually ready to help you right away. It could look busy but they are always there to offer the best advice and help you navigate out of the troubles.
At the end of the day, I believe no building is perfect but each one shapes your journey on campus. It is at the end of the day, what you make of it. As someone who has started living on campus just recently, this is the version you don’t get on the tours.
