The Indy tries its hand at some housing lottery magic.
Housing letters may have gone out today, but in between dorm storms, celebrating (or commiserating) with your blockmates, and another year of new House bonding, you may have had a fleeting thought or two (or many, if your House lies on Shepard Street). Does your heart belong in a slightly different part of Cambridge? Do you wonder what it’d be like to have a different mascot and chant a different name on next year’s Housing Day? Take this extremely unscientific quiz to find out where you truly belong!
The app you use most on your phone is…
A) Spotify – your playlists keep you going. Always.
B) Facebook – you have your finger on the pulse of what’s happening on campus and off. (Thanks, Mark!)
C) Instagram – when section for your A&I GenEd gets boring, you curate your own aesthetics.
D) The Omni app – if you miss the shuttle again, you might give up on going to class for today.
Your favorite color is…
A) Red
B) Blue
C) Green
D) Black
Your caffeinated beverage of choice is…
A) An energy drink – caffeine might not be the healthiest, but you like to tell yourself the electrolytes help.
B) Coffee – the superior beverage, unlike hot leaf juice.
C) Tea – the superior beverage, unlike burnt bean juice.
D) Whatever – you don’t really care.
It’s the weekend and you have no homework! (At least, not any you’re going to do by Monday.) You are…
A) Out with friends – maybe trying out a new restaurant or exploring outside the Harvard bubble.
B) Partying all night – you’re a work hard, play hard kind of person.
C) Maybe Netflixing, definitely chilling – with some friends, bae, or just you, yourself, and you.
D) Up to something fun – after all, what happens in the Quad stays in the Quad.
You have an unlimited budget and it’s spring break! You take a trip to…
A) Someplace warm – you’ve had enough of Cambridge winters and Canada Goose jackets.
B) New York City – you feel invigorated after sleepless nights in Lamont by visiting the city that never sleeps!
C) Small town MA – who said there weren’t hidden gems just outside the Harvard bubble?
D) Home – not your House, but your real house. After sleeping off the semester, you can do whatever you want… okay, you’ll just be sleeping.
Your favorite late night haunt (that is, food-wise) is…
A) Felipe’s – fast service and filling burritos you can count on.
B) The Kong – you don’t notice drunk patrons because you and your friends are probably having too much fun yourselves.
C) IHOP – your late nights are so late that everything else is closed.
D) A House Grille – you have just enough Board Plus left for some mozz sticks!
If you got mostly As…
Your true House lies in River West (Eliot, Kirkland, Winthrop).
For you, the phrase “river run” probably refers to actually running along the Charles, to which you have great access – Eliot, Kirkland, and Winthrop are all at the intersection of Anderson bridge, and lend themselves naturally to leaving the Harvard bubble proper, along Memorial Drive and across the river. If running isn’t your style, you have the MAC in your courtyard and the shortest route to the athletic facilities in Allston. All in all, the stereotype that students in the westernmost River Houses are the most athletic would probably hold true for you!
If you’re mourning the proximity to your favorite workout place, don’t worry – your House probably has its own gym. And if you really want a long running route, you can always skip the shuttle and factor in the distance from the Quad.
If you put mostly Bs…
Your true House lies in River Central (Lowell, Adams, Quincy).
You’re always at the center of things – in addition to four classes, you probably run four clubs, are applying to four jobs at the same time, and/or have four parties on your calendar for this weekend. Being right in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the Harvard Square area is just your style. Your dhalls get the most traffic and have the strictest interhouse dining policies for a reason – they’re the place to meet new people, and that’s where you want to be.
Even if you happen to live a little farther from Mount Auburn Street, your naturally outgoing personality will help you feel right at home in your House community!
If you answered mostly Cs…
Your true House lies in River East (Leverett, Mather, Dunster).
These far-flung river houses might get some flack for their non-traditional appearance, but you happen to appreciate the art in unusual everyday things. You might include the word “aesthetic” in conversation, and your aesthetic might include the Brutalist concrete piers of Mather. You work when inspiration strikes, regardless of the hour. These houses have sweeping views of the river and long lists of artistic alumni that serve as your ideal inspiration. With a creative perspective, you’ll be inspired anywhere! The arts are alive and well all around Cambridge, and Harvard’s museums are no exception – the Fogg, Carpenter Center, and Museums of Science and Culture are fascinating and free for all your undergraduate years.
If you answered mostly Ds…
Your true House lies in the Quad (Pforzheimer, Currier, Cabot).
While River denizens may mock the Quad Houses relentlessly for being almost a mile away from the Yard, you aren’t bothered by the peace, quiet, and availability of singles on Shepard Street. You might not have everything figured out, but you don’t need to play by the stereotypes that made up this quiz. You’re independent. And just like the Indy, you belong in the Quad. (Come say hi to us in the SOCH!)
Audrey Effenberger ‘19 (effenb