Peers aren't the only ones with negative reactions. Parents are often less than thrilled about their children's living arrangements.

"My parents are super-conservative, and they don't like the idea," Karen says.

"I haven't gotten around to mentioning it to my father yet," says Donna.

Fortunately, resident tutors don't seem to have negative reactions, according to residents of illegitimately coed rooms. "Our tutor kind of knows, but he just ignores it. If anyone higher up came to him he might get in trouble," says Caroline.

"We haven't had any pressure from the housing office, and our tutor doesn't care," says "Mark."

"I don't think anyone really cares as long as they don't walk in and we're having orgies," says Donna.

Working Well Together

Both students and housing officers agree that the "coed rooms" have worked out very well.

"It was really wonderful. I loved to shock people. I'd say, I live with six men," says Touhey.

"Betsy was one of the most caring people in the room--if I was feeling down in the end, it was Betsy I would go to," says Eric M. Isselbacher '85, her former roommate. "We became best friends--purely platonic, but really best friends. We became closer than we could of even if she had been just across the hall."

"People might not walk around in their underwear or not run from the bathroom naked, but other than that there were no big changes," says Isselbacher.

There are many benefits to having a member of the opposite sex as a roommate.

"We can share earrings," jokes Ann Pellegrini '86 of her roommate Jake Stevens '86. "It works out well because I need three earrings, but he only needs one."

"We always have enough shaving cream," says Stevens.

"When you're dating, that's a very different situation from living together," says Emerson. "This way we find out what a day-to-day relationship is all about."