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.