Quad parties have a certain cachet. Between Cabot's infamous entryway-wide toga ruckuses and Currier 10-man raves, word always reaches the Charles when something's hot on the other end of the shuttle route. The truth of the matter is, however, that Quad administrators take rules and regulations seriously, and the huge House parties of Cabot and Currier (which in the past have even had their own printed T-shirts) can require even huger amounts of preparation.

Brian Friedman '00 laments that "it's easier to adopt a small child than to have a party here [in the Currier 10-man suite]. There are all these forms we have to fill out, and the tutors are always around...they always shut it down right at 1 a.m." According to senior Mike Bush '99, however, careful preparation and planning are worthwhile because they result in respectful treatment from administrators. "The administrators are pretty cool about it," he says, "if you're good about being organized and follow all the rules." Bush stresses that the House spirit in the Quad is "just fantastic" and that House Masters and Senior Tutors are quite friendly and reasonable when it comes to party regulations.

Winthrop Resident Tutor James L. Doak '94 remembers a time when the famous "party suites" of Currier, Cabot and Pforzheimer "had a leg up" in the party scene." The top floors of PfoHo [were] always able to have great parties...because they were a few more steps away from the security guard." In the Quad of yore, "House administrators supported these rooms as social leaders," according to Doak, implying that administrators may have been somewhat more lenient with regards to these rooms' parties.

Despite all the complications, Quad parties continue to retain an impressive track record. Friedman stresses, "if people on the River hear about a party out here, it's definitely worth coming to. We get a deejay, it's great...people don't know about these things." Jones raves about the salacious details of Cabot library suite bashes. "It's fantastic," Jones says, "people, especially really attractive girls, stand on the window ledges and dance. It's great!" And though Bush admits that he doesn't think the Quad "party suites" have yet fulfilled their social potential this year, he hopes to see a change once seniors complete their theses.

THE LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP

When a Quad housing assignment relegates one's better half to the opposite end of the shuttle map, things definitely change. In fact, Quadlings commonly agree that even platonic cross-campus friendships run into difficulty when one partner is shipped off to Old Radcliffe. But Quad-bound first-years shouldn't panic yet. While it's true that most Quad residents refute the maxim "absence makes the River heart grow fonder," it's also true that many claim assimilation into Quad culture to be a preferred alternative. And some even go so far as to assert that space has a positive effect on social relationships.

Plaguing cross-campus relationships may actually be unrecognized blessings. Geographical separation forces members of a cross-campus relationship to plan dates, call often (or, at all) and generally avoid taking each other's company for granted. It eliminates a fundamental problem with collegiate relationships--that couples see far too much of each other.

As a freshman, Katherine F. Hart '01 met her boyfriend Seamus Ryan through mutual friends. When housing results emerged last spring, Hart found herself Currier-bound while Seamus snagged a coveted River pad in Winthrop. This year, however, the couple has managed to overcome the new logistical complications of their relationship. In fact, Hart maintains that she has been able to stay close to all of her River buds successfully, attributing this achievement to extracurriculars. Hart says, "Being involved in activities that include people from a lot of different Houses has allowed me to stay in touch with my friends on the River more."

Hart's success may not come without a price, however, and she notes that since most of her friends live by the River, she attends few Quad social events and parties. In fact, many Quad residents suggest that social success requires them to focus on either Quad or River ties. While every rule has its exceptions, the experiences of many Quadlings suggest that maintaining iron-fast relationships in both River and Quad neighborhoods requires superhuman social stamina.

For students like Brandon P. Jones '00, moving to the Quad meant redefining friendships and forming new social bonds. As far as maintaining River friendships, Jones admits that he "was absolutely not able to" and rarely attends River House parties. "My friendships are now almost universally Quad-based," he says.

THE TRANSFERS

Transferring is a double-edged sword. Besides the annoying bureaucracy surrounding the process, social life setbacks can be daunting since moving into a new House requires playing a sort of catch-up game. For some, however, exiting an unhappy living situation may be worth the price. Since randomization rocked the Harvard housing scene, it seems as if transferring is everybody's new favorite extracurricular. And although Pforzheimer House Assistant to the Masters Sharon Holt claims a downward trend in transferring from that House, many current Quad residents have found their surroundings distasteful enough to desert it.

THE PROCESS. A somewhat tedious process, inter-House transferring requires potential transfers to fill out several forms and find a "host" blocking group in a desired House. A blocking group's hosting eligibility is determined by the presence of open spaces in that group, which may arise from a blockmates leave of absence or an originally sub-16 person group. Once affiliated with their new House, however, transfers are not forced to move out upon the return of the individual whose "slot" they temporarily assumed.

SOCIAL STIMULI. Quadlings may want to head to the River for a variety of reasons. Currier resident John W.M. Moore '01, plans to move to Leverett next year because of a "combination of social and convenience factors, but mostly the social." The sophomore originally blocked with his freshman roommates, but has prioritized the maintenance of his River-based friendships throughout this year. Of his original blocking group of 15, five attempted to transfer and only two were successful. Moore asserts that transferring to Leverett will not only make him happier socially, but will also "improve my academics a lot." Like many of his fellow Quadlings, he often uses "bad weather as an excuse not to go to class."

THE FUNCTIONAL FACTOR. For functionalists, the inconveniences of Quad life can make transferring worthwhile. Following the recent rape case in Byerly Hall, female Quad residents seeking to transfer have expressed concern about walking home down Garden Street alone or after nightfall. Other unhappy Quadlings have cited the far trips to athletic practices across the River. Most, however, are simply frustrated at the inaccessibility of their belongings throughout the day. One junior transfer sums up the frustration leading up to her decision to exit Currier House: "You inevitably forget a book, a problem set, a Tutorial paper. Then you've got to go chasing back to the Quad. It's huge pain."