How did housing selection go, did you get a good time? Were you lucky in the past? What are your thoughts on the housing process in general?
Lois Matsukawa ’29: I actually lucked out, because I got one of my teammates who’s a junior to grab me and my roommate, which is really nice because I was going to have to live in ML. We had bad times. I feel like it’s a bit hard to make it fair for everyone for housing, but I do know that in other schools, athletes will get priority, or Honors students will. [Rafi: Do you think athletes should get priority?] I mean … I don’t want to be biased. But seriously, I don’t really know a fair way to do it.
Zoe Finelli ’29: I haven’t selected yet, but I think it’ll work out because my roommate has a good time. We’re hoping for Roberts. I don’t really think anyone should get priority for room selection — I don’t know how to make it more fair.
Dylan Stringer ’28: Oh, this is not optimal, because both of us [Calder Balfour ’28] are going abroad. So we didn’t do housing. [Nasrin: What time did you get?] I got 8:30.
Calder Balfour ’28: I got, like, 7. But, I can’t use it.
Yasir Anderson ’28: Last year, my roommate had accommodations, so I just went with my roommate. Swat’s Wi-Fi is messed up right now, so I can’t even get into my portal to get into whatever it is. So I don’t even know if I can even do it; I might have to rush and use the computer somewhere else. So I don’t really care about Swat’s room selection — quote me on that! Why is Swat always messing up? They’re always messing up. [Nasrin: What time did you get?] My time is 4:26 p.m. I don’t even know if that is my time still.
Jasper Cober-Lake ’29: I kind of had a bad time. I got 8:05. So not great, but I heard some people got 9:40, so I think I dodged a bullet there.
Theo Friedman ’29: I got 6:04, which I’ve heard mixed things about.
Hope Dworkin ’26: I feel like I haven’t gotten the best times, hence my ML situation in sophomore year, but I think it’s usually fine. It usually feels like there are a few people around me that are really stressed out about it and then the stress is emanating everywhere — secondhand stress. I do think the way they do housing is not ideal also, because I have a lot of friends whose housing accommodations got messed up.
What is your dorm horror story?
Calder Balfour ’28: I don’t know, there’s just a lot of … what are they called? Centipedes in the Dana bathroom sinks for some reason? They just — they love the sinks. [Dylan Stringer ’28: And that’s not your worst dorm?] It is good other than that.
Dylan Stringer ’28: I became best friends with the Wharton third floor mouse that was in the common area. He was always there at 2:00 in the morning. [Nasrin: Doing homework with you?] Yeah, basically.
Yasir Anderson ’28: A big hairball was in our shower. It was so yucky! [Nasrin: What dorm?] Danawell. My goodness, Nasrin and [Rashelle Lopez Gomez ’28] were there too. They used to live on my floor. Quote that.
Hope Dworkin ’26: It’s not a horror story, I guess, just kind of sad. I was in Willets in my first year, and we heard a mouse in the night and were like, “Ok, there’s a mouse.” And then we saw it and were like, “Ok, there’s definitely a mouse.” So then we emailed Workbox, who brought snap traps — which are not the most humane thing, but maybe better than the glue or poison. Then later, I was watching a movie in my room with my girlfriend and we heard a snap and a little shake, and it was a baby mouse that had been snapped … I felt like an evil person for killing that mouse. It was just sad.
Lois Matsukawa ’29: I don’t think so, I guess just during pre-season in the fall, it was just so hot. I was sweating so much while sleeping, even with all the fans on. It was an awful couple of weeks.
Zoe Finelli ’29: Yeah, I agree [with Lois]. In pre-season I would wake up drenched in sweat and then I’d go to the bathroom and be dripping sweat trying to brush my teeth. It was terrible. And also, the fire alarms went off multiple times in one week in Willets. That was unfortunate.
Theo Friedman ’29: I think there is an above 80% chance that if you walk into the Willets laundry room, one of the doors will be missing or there’ll just be like two or three out of commission, for the washers. Dryers are usually good. People don’t know how to do their laundry during their first year.
Jasper Cober-Lake ’29: I have someone else’s. I know somebody had the soap, like, burst off the door of a washing machine in Wharton. They’re fine. How’d they even pull that off?
If you could add one business to the Ville, what would it be?
Calder Balfour ’28: Boba Shop. Just a boba shop.
Yasir Anderson ’28: It would have to be a new restaurant. Chipotle. We could use our One Card. That would be lovely. Or Qdoba. Chipotle or Qdoba. Wait … Chick-fil-A. Destroy Dunkin’. Make something new.
Lois Matsukawa ’29: I would just say a bigger coffee shop or just a matcha place. I’m a big fan. Or just a place that has good matcha — Hobbs does not have good matcha. More generally, I’d want a bigger coffee shop so that students can study there, because there are a lot of coffee shops in my hometown, and it’s very nice being in that environment and studying there.
Dylan Stringer ’28: Probably just any other fast food place, honestly. Because Dunkin’ is really all we have. And CO-OP is so inconvenient at times. [Nasrin: Yeah. Like, Chick-fil-A or Popeyes.] Maybe not Chick-fil-A, but yeah, something like that.
Theo Friedman ’29: We need a Chipotle in the Ville. Because Swatties love to cater Chipotle, and catered Chipotle is not the same.
Jasper Cober-Lake ’29: I’m chill actually. I think the Ville is good. I like Hobbs. Hobbs is good.
Hope Dworkin ’26: I would have said a bookstore, but now there are two, which is nice. Hmm … I love Vicky’s, so I would love there to be another informal eating place where you can sit down and hang out and it feels more like a diner vibe.
Zoe Finelli ’29: Probably a food chain. Like Chipotle maybe, or Chick-fil-a. Or a Tropical Smoothie. Just some quick food I would enjoy.
Is it embarrassing to run around campus with your backpack on?
Zoe Finelli ’29: I feel like I have to do that. So I choose to say that it’s not embarrassing. Although … if I could see myself it would be extremely embarrassing. But sometimes, you know, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.
Calder Balfour ’28: Yes. I’ve done it, though, and I forget about it quickly, but I would judge somebody else who was doing that. [Dylan Stringer ’28: I never forget when you do that, honestly.] I just have places to be, you know? I did it this morning. This pocket was open. I wasn’t running, but I was still embarrassed.
Dylan Stringer ’28: Yes, it is.
Jasper Cober-Lake ’29: Yes. I think, yes. I’m not going to judge because, like, I don’t know the context. Maybe you’re late to a midterm.
Theo Friedman ’29: I think it’s pretty embarrassing, but I do it all the time, so clearly not embarrassing enough.
Hope Dworkin ’26: I very rarely run on this campus — I’ve just accepted that I’m going to be late at this point … If I see someone running, I always look at them, and I’m a little bit like, “What’s the rush?” If the backpack’s tight, then it’s not as embarrassing, but if it’s really loose and flopping around, then it’s pretty embarrassing. I do have sympathy for those people though.
Lois Matsukawa ’29: I wouldn’t say it’s normal, but also if someone did that, I would probably just look at them and then go on with my day. I would just feel bad for them honestly — they’re probably missing something or running late. I’m like, I feel you.
Yasir Anderson ’28: I don’t carry a backpack. As you can see, I’m carrying my laptop now. Quote that. I don’t really run on campus. I do a light stroll. When I get to my destination is when I get there. Sorry if I’m late.
