Mark E. Denneen '88, who transferred from Currier to Eliot, says that the chance to live in a suite was behind his transferring to the Quad. "Living in a suite is much better than living in a single because of the daily interaction with your roommates and because of the responsibility you feel towards other people," says Deneen, who previously lived in a single.

Betsey A. Robinson '89, however, moved to Cabot House from Eliot House for exactly the opposite reason; she wanted the single that the Quad house could offer.

"When I got to Eliot House my room was terrible. It was way too small. I came to Eliot with one other person, and I had expected at worse another floater, and they put four of us in what was basically a double," says Robinson, who now lives in a single. "The extra space is more important to me than the extra three minutes of walking," she adds.

Although Robinson was a sophomore, exceptions to the rules can be made, and she was able to transfer out of Eliot after just a week. Extenuating circumstances or medical reason can be ground for a sophomore interhouse transfer, Colvin says.

Mooney agrees with Robinson that single-living is preferable to the suite arrangement. "I think living in a suite is overrated. I like the privacy of a single yet because we live on a long hall I get to see people all the time," says Mooney, who now lives alone in a large single.

"I don't mind the communal bathrooms either because it means that I never have to wait for a shower," Mooney added.

For those who are heavily involved in athletics, however, living in the Quad can make commuting back and forth to practice a highly time-consuming activity. Ben J. Elizondo '88, a co-captain of the men's waterpolo team, says that it became too difficult to keep his responsibilities as captain while living in the Quad.

"Basically, I transferred [to Leverett] because of the waterpolo team," says Elizondo. "It's ten times easier to coordinate activities now."

Elizondo says he wanted to avoid that "transient feeling" he got from commuting back and forth to the Quad. He says he made his final decision to transfer one morning at about 7 a.m. when he was riding down to practice on his bicycle.

"I was the only one on the waterpolo team who was living in the Quad so I was all alone riding to practice. Suddenly, I [was almost hit by] a car, and I realized at that moment that I had to transfer."