Diverse NoHosers Boast Spirit, Unity

North House residents give a lot of thought to the image of their house.

"If North House were a guy, he would be friendly, fun and totally buff," says Jennifer M. Dewey '94, North House committee treasurer, "while Cabot would be quiet and lame."

John K. Chung '92-'93 echoes a similar sentiment from a male perspective.

"If Currier House were a woman, she would be big and ugly. And the river houses would be over the hill," says Chung. "But North House would be ideal. She looks good, she's very classy, she has good physical attributes."

It's hard to nail down a stereotype for North House, the smallest and one of the most sought-after houses in recent years. Some call it the beautiful house. Other just say it's the only Quad house where the residents have not been randomized. And many of them say they like to play foozball.

North House is also noted for its diversity. Seventeen percent of the House's residents are Black--four percent more than any other house, according to the Committee on House Life.

That diversity is North House's best attribute, according to many "NoHosers."

"We used to be known as the 'Kirkland of the Quad,' with our many athletes, but now the house is more diverse," Chung says. "We have a big minority representation."

"Harvard as an elite institution can foster a false sense of what the real world is like. But North House is more demographically consistent with the outside world," House Tutor Thomas G. Stewart says.

Acting House Master Dr. David S. Rosenthal '59--known better beyond North House as the director of the University Health Services--says his house's diversity actually makes the atmosphere more relaxed and friendly than other houses.

"The students are really relaxed--except during exams," Rosenthal says. "I came to North right after exams, and everyone was very laid-back. The students really feel like it's a home."

The Rosenthals took over as North's acting co-masters in January for Co-Masters J. Woodland Hastings and Hanna M. Hastings, who are on sabbatical in Europe.

North House students say that living in a house that people chose to be in--rather than one that people were randomized into--has a positive effect on house spirit.

"The people are what make North House special, because they wanted to be here," says House Committee Chair Deirdre A. McEvoy.

"My lottery number was in the single digits, and here I am in North House," NoHoser Michael D. Last '95 says. "North House residents don't have a chip on their shoulder about being randomized."

McEvoy points to the plethora of campus leaders who live in North as evidence of how heavily residents are involved in Harvard activities.

Generating Their Own Heat

North House recently received a $300 check from the Environmental Action Committee for winning the Green Cup for conservation, according to Dewey.

Chung hints at non-environmental motives behind North's success, however.

"We're good at energy conservation because we're into the body heat thing," Chung says.

"We have a lot of romances within the house. It's part of our inclusiveness," she says.

The social scene in North is helped by the physical layout of the house, residents say. The three main buildings--Holmes. Moors and Comstock--are connected by a breezeway so students don't have to go outside to visit friends.

Both Last and McEvoy say that North's hallway layout--as opposed to the entry-way layout--is highly conductive to meeting people.

"I've wasted a lot of time in the hallway when I should have been studying, but I've learned a lot from other people," Last says.

Foozball, Anyone?

Besides hanging out in the hall-ways, NoHosers also spend a lot of time at their grille and, of course, at the foozball table.

"Foozball, quite simply, epitomizes life," says foozball addict Marlin B. Smith '94.

Other house facilities include a weight room, the Quad Sound Studios, two computer rooms, a pool room, several communal kitchens and many practice rooms.

The house-wide facilities are complemented by pleasant individual accommodations, says McEvoy. North House has about 30 duplexes and a group of sought-after rooms in Wolbach Hall, a former apartment building, replete with living rooms and kitchens.

But one aspect of the layout of the house causes problems for students. About 50 residents live in Jordan J and K, former cooperative halls separated from the main building.

Jordan residents say they sometimes feel isolated from the rest of the house. "Last year, we were disappointed that we weren't actually in the House," Alex R. Carbo '94 says. "We couldn't go down to breakfast in our pajamas."

"There is a lot of Jordan bonding. And at least this year we're in the main building," Carbo says.

But house parties and activities help bring Jordan residents back into house life, committee members say.

The fall game of Assassin, in which over 100 residents participated, is a good way to meet fellow residents, students say. "Everyone who plays Assassin comes into contact with people they normally wouldn't come into contact with," Agboola O. Fatiregun '93 says.

"People see each other around and say, 'Hey, didn't I kill you last fall!" Chung says.

Another popular house activity is Thursday fest, a party thrown by a different group of seniors each week, says Fatiregun.

Other house activities include game shows like the Dating Game, an all-night. Film-a-thon, NoHo Olympics, and the annual Halloween party.

Parties in North House encourage unity rather than separate cliques, residents say. "When we throw parties, we get everyone in the house going to one party," Chung says. "We have one main party, not three parties at the same time. People who want to throw parties work around each other."

But thesis pressures have led to a recent slacking-off in parties, according to Last and Chung.

Since they go to parties at the river while at the same time enjoying their own parties, North residents say they have the best of both worlds.

"The peaceful, beautiful Quad setting combines the advantages of a small rural school with those of Harvard and Cambridge," Last says.

And the distance to classes isn't really as large as many student think, say North House students.

"I can't understand how rational Harvard students somehow think that the Quad is some distant and faraway land," Last says. "If you look at the facts, it's no farther from the Science Center than many of the river houses--and on snowy days, we have the shuttle bus.

"Harvard as an elite institution can foster a false sense of what the real world is like. But North House is more demographically consistent with the outside world," House Tutor Thomas G. Stewart says.

Acting House Master Dr. David S. Rosenthal '59--known better beyond North House as the director of the University Health Services--says his house's diversity actually makes the atmosphere more relaxed and friendly than other houses.

"The students are really relaxed--except during exams," Rosenthal says. "I came to North right after exams, and everyone was very laid-back. The students really feel like it's a home."

The Rosenthals took over as North's acting co-masters in January for Co-Masters J. Woodland Hastings and Hanna M. Hastings, who are on sabbatical in Europe.

North House students say that living in a house that people chose to be in--rather than one that people were randomized into--has a positive effect on house spirit.

"The people are what make North House special, because they wanted to be here," says House Committee Chair Deirdre A. McEvoy.

"My lottery number was in the single digits, and here I am in North House," NoHoser Michael D. Last '95 says. "North House residents don't have a chip on their shoulder about being randomized."

McEvoy points to the plethora of campus leaders who live in North as evidence of how heavily residents are involved in Harvard activities.

Generating Their Own Heat

North House recently received a $300 check from the Environmental Action Committee for winning the Green Cup for conservation, according to Dewey.

Chung hints at non-environmental motives behind North's success, however.

"We're good at energy conservation because we're into the body heat thing," Chung says.

"We have a lot of romances within the house. It's part of our inclusiveness," she says.

The social scene in North is helped by the physical layout of the house, residents say. The three main buildings--Holmes. Moors and Comstock--are connected by a breezeway so students don't have to go outside to visit friends.

Both Last and McEvoy say that North's hallway layout--as opposed to the entry-way layout--is highly conductive to meeting people.

"I've wasted a lot of time in the hallway when I should have been studying, but I've learned a lot from other people," Last says.

Foozball, Anyone?

Besides hanging out in the hall-ways, NoHosers also spend a lot of time at their grille and, of course, at the foozball table.

"Foozball, quite simply, epitomizes life," says foozball addict Marlin B. Smith '94.

Other house facilities include a weight room, the Quad Sound Studios, two computer rooms, a pool room, several communal kitchens and many practice rooms.

The house-wide facilities are complemented by pleasant individual accommodations, says McEvoy. North House has about 30 duplexes and a group of sought-after rooms in Wolbach Hall, a former apartment building, replete with living rooms and kitchens.

But one aspect of the layout of the house causes problems for students. About 50 residents live in Jordan J and K, former cooperative halls separated from the main building.

Jordan residents say they sometimes feel isolated from the rest of the house. "Last year, we were disappointed that we weren't actually in the House," Alex R. Carbo '94 says. "We couldn't go down to breakfast in our pajamas."

"There is a lot of Jordan bonding. And at least this year we're in the main building," Carbo says.

But house parties and activities help bring Jordan residents back into house life, committee members say.

The fall game of Assassin, in which over 100 residents participated, is a good way to meet fellow residents, students say. "Everyone who plays Assassin comes into contact with people they normally wouldn't come into contact with," Agboola O. Fatiregun '93 says.

"People see each other around and say, 'Hey, didn't I kill you last fall!" Chung says.

Another popular house activity is Thursday fest, a party thrown by a different group of seniors each week, says Fatiregun.

Other house activities include game shows like the Dating Game, an all-night. Film-a-thon, NoHo Olympics, and the annual Halloween party.

Parties in North House encourage unity rather than separate cliques, residents say. "When we throw parties, we get everyone in the house going to one party," Chung says. "We have one main party, not three parties at the same time. People who want to throw parties work around each other."

But thesis pressures have led to a recent slacking-off in parties, according to Last and Chung.

Since they go to parties at the river while at the same time enjoying their own parties, North residents say they have the best of both worlds.

"The peaceful, beautiful Quad setting combines the advantages of a small rural school with those of Harvard and Cambridge," Last says.

And the distance to classes isn't really as large as many student think, say North House students.

"I can't understand how rational Harvard students somehow think that the Quad is some distant and faraway land," Last says. "If you look at the facts, it's no farther from the Science Center than many of the river houses--and on snowy days, we have the shuttle bus.