On days when I have a class from the first period (from 8:50 to 10:00), I wake up at 7:00.

Some of my friends at the dorm eat bread and yogurt at the dorm.

Classes in the second period (from 10:10 to 11:20) and third period (from 11:30 to 12:40).

Lunch with friends at the Dining Hall. As the dormitories are on campus, some students go back to the dorm and cook their own lunch.

Class in the fourth period.

Chat with my friends at the dorm. Another advantage of living on campus is that you can go back for a rest in between classes.

There are many restaurants near the university. I also cook in the kitchen of the dormitory with friends once in a while. Some of my friends go to their part-time jobs at this time of the day.

At ICU, many students have classes till the seventh period (ending at 19:00) and club activities typically start around 19:00.

Some senior students at the dormitory have taken the classes I am taking now. I also have friends there taking classes with me. It's great to be able to ask these senior students about things I don't understand, and do homework together with my friends.
The dormitory meeting is also held around this time of day once a month.

Dormitory Meeting

ICU dormitories are managed proactively by students. Dormitory meetings are held once per month to discuss dormitory management policies and to develop consensus among residents. Various issues concerning the dorm management are covered at these meetings, and announcements and reminders from the university staff and dormitory supervisors. Because it is an important occasion for all residents, attendance is mandatory except due to inevitable reasons such as teaching practice, ceremonial occasions and job seeking. As there are many international students in the dorms, participants talk in English or through a student designated to serve as an interpreter, who translate Japanese to English and vice versa almost incessantly, contributing to the smooth flow of discussion.

Dormitory Festival

Every October the Dormitory Festival, one of the dormitory's traditional events,, is held. The most notable event is a performance, where all the dormitories come together to put on a well-crafted play, and each dormitory competes with the other in terms of artistry and expression. During the Dorm Festival, various events planned by the Committee are held throughout the week. Each year's events, which have a different theme and are created by the students, symbolize the spirit of collaboration among the students and the bond of the dormitory community.

Committee Members, Rooming

Most dormitories adopt a candidacy system to elect their Dormitory Representatives and Cabinet Members in charge of dorm management. Candidates are given the opportunity to present their ideas on how they wish to run the dormitory or things that only they can achieve, and all residents vote for their chosen candidate. Reallocation of rooms takes place once or twice a year depending on the dormitory. Roommates are determined considering students' living habits, such as "a morning person or a night person" or "sleep with lights on or off," which are checked beforehand through a questionnaire, etc. Nationalities and years are also considered in order to promote educational interactions.

Annual Events

Many intra-dormitory and inter-dormitory events are held every year at ICU: the Okada Cup football tournament held twice a year (around June and February); Caroling, when students visit other dorms presenting Christmas carols; barbeque; and other unique events at each dormitory. Third Women's Dormitory has a tradition of singing in front of the birthday girl's room at exactly 12 o'clock midnight. Zelkova House celebrates the dawn of a new year with a rice cake making party

Duties

As part of the responsibilities of living in a community, dormitory residents are required to share duties. These include cleaning and tidying up bathrooms, kitchens and other common spaces; receiving mails and deliveries; checking the doors to ensure that they are locked after curfew and responding to visitors. Residents take turns to perform these duties. The content and amount of duties vary from dormitory to dormitory. At most dormitories, residents who fail to perform their duties are subject to additional duties.

Welcoming Event

First year students start off their dormitory life by participating in the welcoming event, in which they take part in a performance such as dancing and singing on campus. Each dormitory has its own unique performance that is handed down for many years.

Study Session

It is common for residents to study together in a group during a period of examination, and some dormitories hold unique study sessions. Canada House welcomes commuting students to participate in the dormitory's reading club activities every Monday, and Global House sets Tutor Hour when graduate students provide consultation on study and lifestyle issues. Ginkgo House conducts workshops such as the English Project and the Living Learning Project (LLP), sessions in which residents convey what they want to teach or share to other residents.

Alumni Reunion

In addition to milestone anniversary reunions, each dormitory holds its own reunion events to strengthen bonds between current and graduated residents. The Third Women's Dormitory holds a biennial reunion in February, and Fourth Women's Dormitory hosts an annual reunion of fourth year students and graduates of the past three years. Students and alumni of Canada House get together for a spring football game, and Global House holds a reunion inviting dormitory managers. Alumni of new dormitories also get together to participate in events such as the New Year's rice cake making party at Zelkova House, and the end of year party at Ginkgo House. Oak House residents and alumni enjoy reunion trips together.