Once Around the Block: A First-Year Fable

In January, they were roommates, talking about how blocking would be the simplest thing in the world. Yesterday morning they were hardly talking at all.

Back then, they knew there would be a form with 16 slots and that all four of them would be on it. They would face the Quad Roulette together.

Prefects and proctors had told them blocking was hardly ever simple--somebody always wanted out or wanted in, and almost nobody was as honest as they should be.

But up to the middle of February the blocking decision seemed far away and almost pleasant for Liz, Lily, Erica and Brianna (names have been changed), a final confirmation of their compatibility. Yesterday morning, however, instead of just one blocking group housing assignment slip on this suite's doorstep, there were three.

Every year there are a thousand stories about blocking told across dinner tables and in proctors' living rooms, on Room 13 couches and in the examination rooms of University Health Services (UHS) psychiatrists. Few of these stories turn out as well as the four women interviewed thought theirs would in January. In fact, by March their story of misunderstanding, secrecy and quiet hurt was only depressingly typical.

Sunday, February 15

On this Harvard week night, Liz and Lily are joking over economics textbooks and Erica is pre-med with a vengeance building molecules and gesturing with them when she talks. Brianna isn't home, busy rehearsing during her third week of Cultural Rhythms practice.

From Liz's point of view, the four live extremely well together. Liz beams when she describes the blocking deci- sion as a done deal since late last fall. "Ifeel very close to the people I live with now,"she says.

Since then, they built a proposed blockinggroup of 15. Two days ago, the original plan hit asnag when two more girls asked to come into theblock, and now things may change. But they can'tchange too much--in the eyes of Harvard's lotterysystem, 17 might as well be 107.

"We talk about [being over the limit] for awhile, then we pretend the problem doesn't existand then we count again," Liz says, laughing. "Iknow you have to have a limit, but people don'tcome in 16's."

"If the limit were four, you'd have groups offive. If the limit were six, you'd have groups ofseven," Dean of Harvard College for HumanResources in the House System Thomas A. Dingman`67 says. "I can't imagine there'd be less stresswith any number."

Thursday, February 19

While the other roommates wrestle with numbers,Erica is busy making a decision no one else evenexpects. She's thinking of leaving the block insearch of peace and quiet.

"[My roommates] are really fun to be with andwe talk all the time, but the problem is that wedon't all do the same amount of work," she says.

Some stressful nights, Liz and Lily joke tooloud, leaving Erica trekking to Cabot ScienceLibrary in sweat pants with a box full of moleculeparts. She's scared Cabot could be a lot fartheraway next year.

On the plus side, Erica's possible new blockinggroup will be quiet, but the drawback is that shedoesn't really know them. In fact, the only personin the group she has seen more than once is herchemistry lab partner, whom she sees about once aweek.

"I don't know her that well at all, but we getalong pretty well and she seems easy-going," Ericasays.

Erica usually speaks in rambling, excitablemonologues, but today she's quiet and concise. Shesays there's a 70 percent chance she will leavethe group, but that there's no point in upsettingher roommates before the decision is final.

"I'll tell them the truth as soon as I'mpositive," she says.

Ironically, in the next room, Brianna is makingthe same silent choice.

Brianna is black, and she could leave to blockwith other black students who share her academicand extracurricular interests. She glances at thedoor to the common room and sighs softly.

"I guess the only person not being honest isme," she says.

Academic goals and ethnicity are two issuesthat are easily entangled with blocking, accordingto Dr. Randolph Catlin, a psychiatrist in UHS'smental health unit.

"The biggest issues of the freshman year haveto do with who you are and what you do," Catlinsays. "This decision of who you want to live withhas a lot to do with both of those questions."

Christopher L. Garcia '95, a proctor inGreenough, says students dealing with thesedifficulties often keep their uncertainty fromtheir roommates.

"The single biggest difficulty in blocking is alack of forthrightness," Garcia says.

Monday, February 23

"There've been big changes. We've got 16 now,"Liz says.

Yesterday afternoon Erica sat her roommatesdown and explained why she was leaving.

"I told them I had to do a lot of studying[and] I had to be home to study," Erica says. "Ithink it definitely caught them by surprise."

Liz and Lily both say they are sad to see hergo, but emotions seem muted. Erica made thisdecision for her own good, but her choice alsomeans that the original group won't have to split.

"I need a more grown-up word for what I'mfeeling," Liz says of her reaction to Erica'sdeparture from the group. "Maybe preconceivednostalgia, looking forward to next year."A-6BLOCK

Since then, they built a proposed blockinggroup of 15. Two days ago, the original plan hit asnag when two more girls asked to come into theblock, and now things may change. But they can'tchange too much--in the eyes of Harvard's lotterysystem, 17 might as well be 107.

"We talk about [being over the limit] for awhile, then we pretend the problem doesn't existand then we count again," Liz says, laughing. "Iknow you have to have a limit, but people don'tcome in 16's."

"If the limit were four, you'd have groups offive. If the limit were six, you'd have groups ofseven," Dean of Harvard College for HumanResources in the House System Thomas A. Dingman`67 says. "I can't imagine there'd be less stresswith any number."

Thursday, February 19

While the other roommates wrestle with numbers,Erica is busy making a decision no one else evenexpects. She's thinking of leaving the block insearch of peace and quiet.

"[My roommates] are really fun to be with andwe talk all the time, but the problem is that wedon't all do the same amount of work," she says.

Some stressful nights, Liz and Lily joke tooloud, leaving Erica trekking to Cabot ScienceLibrary in sweat pants with a box full of moleculeparts. She's scared Cabot could be a lot fartheraway next year.

On the plus side, Erica's possible new blockinggroup will be quiet, but the drawback is that shedoesn't really know them. In fact, the only personin the group she has seen more than once is herchemistry lab partner, whom she sees about once aweek.

"I don't know her that well at all, but we getalong pretty well and she seems easy-going," Ericasays.

Erica usually speaks in rambling, excitablemonologues, but today she's quiet and concise. Shesays there's a 70 percent chance she will leavethe group, but that there's no point in upsettingher roommates before the decision is final.

"I'll tell them the truth as soon as I'mpositive," she says.

Ironically, in the next room, Brianna is makingthe same silent choice.

Brianna is black, and she could leave to blockwith other black students who share her academicand extracurricular interests. She glances at thedoor to the common room and sighs softly.

"I guess the only person not being honest isme," she says.

Academic goals and ethnicity are two issuesthat are easily entangled with blocking, accordingto Dr. Randolph Catlin, a psychiatrist in UHS'smental health unit.

"The biggest issues of the freshman year haveto do with who you are and what you do," Catlinsays. "This decision of who you want to live withhas a lot to do with both of those questions."

Christopher L. Garcia '95, a proctor inGreenough, says students dealing with thesedifficulties often keep their uncertainty fromtheir roommates.

"The single biggest difficulty in blocking is alack of forthrightness," Garcia says.

Monday, February 23

"There've been big changes. We've got 16 now,"Liz says.

Yesterday afternoon Erica sat her roommatesdown and explained why she was leaving.

"I told them I had to do a lot of studying[and] I had to be home to study," Erica says. "Ithink it definitely caught them by surprise."

Liz and Lily both say they are sad to see hergo, but emotions seem muted. Erica made thisdecision for her own good, but her choice alsomeans that the original group won't have to split.

"I need a more grown-up word for what I'mfeeling," Liz says of her reaction to Erica'sdeparture from the group. "Maybe preconceivednostalgia, looking forward to next year."A-6BLOCK