So You've Been Exiled Up North?

When I first heard that I had been Quadded one year ago, I insisted on reading the card myself. Amid screams of hysteria, someone asked my blockmate, "Where are we living next year?" to which my goofy but perceptive friend responded, "Stanford." The prospects were not good.

When I first arrived in the Quad, things looked good. But soon, all the expected problems began to surface. First, the walk was a pain, especially when it was cold or when I was in a rush. Second, the absence of a late-night pizza place--while ostensibly good for my health--was very unsatisfying. Third, the supposed isolation from the River became somewhat daunting. I distinctly recall a rainy Friday night in October when I put off the walk as long as possible. When I finally headed back home at 3 a.m. I was drenched, my shoes completely soaked through.

Though there are advantages and disadvantages to living in the Quad, I definitely made some mistakes in my approach to life in Cabot, Currier and Pforzheimer. Such mistakes made my transition tougher. In that light, I would like to offer all the first-years planning a move north next year a few words of advice:

. Don't hope for that mythical Quad single. Unless you're truly nuts, just bite the bullet and ask for a double or a suite of some sort. Singles off a hallway are certainly not all that you dream of. Without a doubt, it is easier to live with a roommate of your choice next year, rather than with your random roommates this year.

. Hit the House grilles as often as possible. These are clearly the centers of social life late at night in the Quad--and the guys in charge of the grilles are simply studs. The food might not be as splendid as at Tommy's, but the atmosphere more than makes up for it.

. Use Hilles. Hilles Library is right at your fingertips and it is the quietest, funkiest library at Harvard. Often, you find River folk up at Hilles seeking a place where they can actually get work done. And a bonus of this underutilized library is its fourth floor. Though the cafeteria there is not operational nowadays, the empty penthouse, as it is called, is worth visiting. The Morse Music Library, also on the floor, is really amazing--who would have thought Harvard owns George Carlin records?

. Try not to rely too much on the shuttle. Walks back to the Quad provide a very nice opportunity to meet and talk with other people. Once you get used to relying on the shuttle, do not abuse the system. I can't stress the following enough: never, ever ask to be let out at Radcliffe Yard on a busy shuttle. All the people who have to move out of the way will resent you forever.

. Be mega-aggressive in planning out meals for the week; if you don't, you will find yourself with-out lunch and spending money to eat alone at the Greenhouse. One easy solution is to eat lunch often at the River Houses--a simple and necessary way to keep up relationships with those outside the Quad sphere.

. Make sure you befriend Rich, the coolest shuttle driver around. Rich decides who makes it to the Yard and who does not--besides that, he's always full of wisdom.

. Lastly, get to know everyone you meet from Cabot K. The last party they threw was by far the biggest and best I've seen at Harvard. My friends and I estimated that one out of six upperclass students was there.

These are the tips I wish somebody had filled me in on before, tips which would have certainly made life this year easier. The Quad grows on people and I have grown to like it more with time.

Without a doubt, Quadlings are far more friendly and accepting than any other group on campus. Quadfolk are always inviting friends to functions and are always anxious to meet their neighbors. Besides the amiable environment, the actual housing is tremendous: it's clean, spacious and luxurious. The dining halls are well-designed and efficient, the halls are carpeted and there are cubbies in the bathrooms. All these aspects make life both convenient and cozy.

Now, having said all this, let me also be honest and admit that I am transferring out of the Quad next year. My decision was based mostly on curiosity about the River and commitments to roommates, not any severe unhappiness about the Quad. I have already worried about having made a mistake, wondering how much I'll miss the people and the community I have found.

Last week, during Harvard's incredible women's basketball games, the Pforzheimer House common room was filled with people, sitting on the edge of their seats in front of the big cable TV. Everybody was slapping high-five when the team scored, booing for bad foul calls and chatting during commercials. During the Arkansas game, a fellow fan from Kirkland was overheard saying, "We just don't have this at Kirkland...Kirkland sucks."

Though it's not what I wanted to hear at this point, as I transfer to the River, it certainly was a nice compliment to us Quadlings.

Joe E. Subotnik '00 is a physics concentrator in Pforzheimer House. He will move to Dunster House in the fall.