We publish this issue primarily for the benefit of freshmen, who, we assume, are eager to learn all they can about their new home away from home. As upperclassmen, producing this week’s paper has been a nostalgic experience. We remember blocking group drama, the excitement of river run, and our joy or barely-concealed disappointment on housing morning. We remember when getting to class only took two minutes and when we had no clue where or even what Leverett was.
So, with the authority of the wisdom gathered in our two and a half years at Harvard, we’d like to impart one truth: every House has its drawbacks. Adams Dining Hall is dark and gloomy, while Quincy Dining Hall is so crowded that residents can’t find seats. Mather is an eyesore; Dunster has triple walk-throughs. And yes, the Quad is really, really far away from the Yard.
But we hope we’ve also captured what is best and what is unique in every House, aided by the contributions of our staff writers and your HoCos. In the next twelve pages, Truc Doan ’10 and Alana Mendelsohn ’09 pair each House with its X-Men alter ego, while Caroline Corbitt ’09 and Adam Hallowell ’09 take a stab at finding each House’s literary match. Ben Huang ’09 and Frances Martel ’09 get behind the camera, and Candice Smith ’11 captures every mascot from Eliot’s elephant to Cabot’s fish.
Truly, there’s nothing quite like the sense of community forged by a “random” computer algorithm. You may hate your new House at times, but you’ll also love it — if not for its architecture, then for its residents. And should you find one day that you’re still looking for your metaphorical home on the range, you can always transfer to greener pastures.
Sincerely,
Caroline Corbitt ’09, Editor-in-Chief
Edward Chen ’09, Co-President
Sally Rinehart ’09, Co-President