Kirkland, or KHaus (as they copied from Dunster), is an easily recognizable House to many, and known for their esteemed dropouts, such as Mark Zuckerberg and Matt Damon. If sorted here, however, trust me, freshman, you will not want to drop out. The Boars of Kirkland know how to have fun and have one of the strongest communities at Harvard.
Kirkland is one of the smallest houses at Harvard, and with that comes one of the, err, tightest knit groups of people on campus. People are really, well, friendly, I guess you could say — so friendly, in fact, that it hosts the annual Incestfest. Freshman, I’m sure some of you tried to get in last year, and if you’re housed in Kirkland on Housing Day, you will be sure to be at it next year. It’s an excuse to hook up with any person walking by, simply because, well, that’s the point. Beside this tradition, Kirkland also has a house wide Secret Santa exchange that lasts a week. Everyone goes all out for their partner, only adding to the closeness of the community — albeit, in a slightly different way.
The house was finished in 1933 and boasts some of the most beautiful rooms that Harvard has to offer. The JCR boasts dark wood panels and some magnificent furnishings that lead many to believe that royalty is not found all the way over in Adams. Similarly, the Dining Hall — while not as extravagant as Annenberg or even Dunster — has its own Kirkland-y feel. It is, of course, small, and contains not just long tables but also smaller, round tables for groups to sit around and chat over a meal. Moreover, the food in Kirkland is easily near the top when it comes to upperclassman houses.
For athletes and others who feel the need to travel across the river or head on over to the MAC, Kirkland’s proximity to Anderson Bridge makes it a very enticing place to live. It was once the ‘jock house’ when students got to choose due to these conditions, and the benefit remains the same. Maybe getting that early morning workout wouldn’t be too hard if you lived right by the gym?
While not every house is perfect, Kirkland sure comes close. The most common complaint about the house is the room size. While bedrooms are often quite small, especially in comparison to the massive singles found in the Quad, the common room space in KHaus is often plentiful. There is always a good amount of room to do as you please, whether that be hosting study groups, throwing parties, or just inviting your friends over to watch TV. Singles are also hard to come by, so if you’re worried about being sexiled, Kirkland may not be the place for you.
So as not to end on a bad note, Kirkland also holds one of the nicest libraries on campus. Clean and quiet, with the beauty that the house has to offer, this is an excellent place to study or just get some work done. Luckily, it is also only open to Kirkland residents, so you will never have to worry about it being crowded.
So that’s that, freshman. Pray to the river gods, and maybe Kirkland will be in your future.