Residential students at William Paterson University have access to on-campus laundry services included in their room and board. 

In Skyline Hall, an upperclassmen residence building, students have 24-hour access to 12 washers and 12 dryers.

However, many have voiced ongoing  frustration with the condition and reliability of the machines. 

“The machines are either not working or not always functioning properly,” said Sophomore, Business Major, Tai Burns.

In an email sent to residents on October 15, Skyline Graduate Residential Director Michelle Abril provided updates on the laundry room and reminded students to follow proper laundry etiquette. 

The message stated that Dryer #18 is currently out of service, and urged residents to avoid overloading machines, clean lint traps after each use, and use detergent sparingly.

Some students have opted to avoid the laundry room altogether. “I’ve heard the dryers don’t work and take multiple cycles to dry one load. I’d rather wait and do my laundry when I go home,” said Junior, Communications Student, Lamont Hampton.

Other students cited issues with machine availability and inconsiderate usage. Through the SpeedQueen app, residents can check which machines are open—but that doesn’t always reflect reality. 

“There are only a few machines that work, and they’re always taken or filled with someone’s clothes that finished hours ago. Your clothes come out wet after drying and dirty after cleaning,” said Sophomore, Communications Major, Darin Morris.

During my own visit to the laundry room, I noticed several machines filled with clothes long past their completed cycle. It’s gotten to the point where a common “tactic” involves students removing others’ laundry from dryers and placing it on the counter just to get a turn. 

 As a residential student myself, I’ve even set alarms before class to start a load and then another alarm to wake up and retrieve it—something I’m not sure I’m alone in doing. 

Even on the SpeedQueen app, many washers and dryers remain listed as “completed,” suggesting that students often forget to collect their laundry in a timely manner. 

With hundreds of residents relying on a limited number of machines, doing laundry in Skyline Hall has become less of a routine chore and more of a competition.