Welcome back from break and welcome to our most-awaited and (admittedly) most-contentious piece of the year. The return to in-person Housing Day brings back new and better than ever Housing Day videos, but how do they stack up? We watched them all so you don’t have to. Here’s what some of our first-years think!

Note: When you have 12 fabulous videos to choose from and lots of people with opinions, there is going to be some ~disagreement~. We know how hard every house works to film, edit, and produce these videos. This might be our final ranking, but we’ll admit there is a very valid case to be made for other orderings too. Flyby Blog is signing off here, but for all our fans, the comments are open for debate 👇🏽👇🏽

The Gold:

Quincy

The winner of our Unofficial Housing Day Video Contest — QUINCY HOUSE! Right from the aerial shots to start, the editing and filming demonstrates nothing short of excellence. The lyrics are creative, informative, and overall, a bop. With Act I and Act II, “The People’s House” brought a thorough tour, a strong sense of community, and house pride until the end. #PenguinNation.

Mather

Mather’s video had excellent camera work, and the editing deserves applause. We particularly enjoyed watching all the different parts of Mather in which the video was filmed, with features from the Faculty Deans, HUDS employees, and pets! From creative lyrics to video snippets of students just having fun, “Mather — that’s all we’re on.”

Lowell

Can we say we’re surprised this video was absolutely amazing? True to its reputation, Lowell’s Housing Day video was nothing short of excellence. With a wholesome storyline, iconic dhall scenes, and lyrics that actually made sense, the video was easy to watch through to the end. The directing and editing was also great, with the telescope scene being our favorite!

The Silver:

Kirkland

Kirkland takes a silver medal with three great songs, strong vocals, and ~quirky~ concepts. With faculty members, students, and a mascot decked out in Kirkland gear — Kirkland’s video makes any first-year student jealous of the house’s infamous community. We applaud them for choosing songs other than rap and the stellar camerawork!

Currier

Currier’s video had a distinct beginning than the other Housing Day Videos. With intense animation and a voiceover, this video really gets your attention and then makes sure you stay watching! While they may have chosen one of many rap songs this year, this Currier pulled through with great rhythm and energy that may even make you regret not getting quadded!

Dunster

Dunster comes in sixth with a Gen-Z approved song choice and a throwback, wholesome shots along the river, and features from HUDS employees! With cool illustrations, house pride, and an adorable opening from the Faculty Deans, Dunster House truly came together to show us that dark wood paneling and meese >>>.

The Bronze:

Eliot

Introductory text to explain the situation was useful for freshmen, and the video starts out with strong — hype — energy. The snowball fight was a cute add-on, the house tour was gorgeous, and the lyrics & rhythm were entertaining. We wish this video would’ve dropped a little earlier, but with great camera work and good vibes, Eliot comes in with a solid ranking overall.

Cabot

With a music video AND a skit, this video had great shots and a cool concept. The lyrics and vocals were top tier, and somehow Cabot made the shuttle rides… aesthetic? Why are we convinced that the Quad-SEC Direct is the best part about getting quadded? Either way, Cabot succeeded in selling us on the #quadlife.

Leverett

Oh Leverett, we love your community! The censoring was hilarious and the transitions between songs were satisfying. It was just as good as scrolling on TikTok. As the only video to feature some Spanish, we give you points for being multicultural. The green bunny ears radiate positive energy, the carrot man in Berg was entertaining, and the love for Lev is evident!

The Honorable Mentions:

Pfoho

The polar bears were in sync and adorable and turned an Industry Baby scene that was the opposite of wholesome into the definition of it. We wish we could have spent more time learning about the different amenities and common spaces in Pfoho, but the post scene and extended saxophone cuts added character so we appreciate the effort!

Adams

Adams gets bonus points for a storyline, capturing the freshman energy well, and for taking a unique approach to their video compared to other houses! With lighting techniques and solid camera work, this video definitely captured Adams pride and highlighted its famous dark academia-esque architecture.

Winthrop

Winthrop House brings puppies, babies, subtitles, the Winthrop lion, and the most wholesome song selections. We wonder if this video was filmed on an iPhone 6, but regardless, the number of people involved featured in it only proves how much Winthrop students love their community and their many river-facing courtyards!

With creative lyrics that tastefully shade other houses, more music videos than ever before, and hype mashups, we’re convinced that every house is a good one. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for us next year — the Class of 2025 is beyond hyped for house life already, and we are grateful to all the houses for giving us a Housing Day to remember forever!