If you haven’t needed to borrow a dress for a particular occasion in the past few weeks, you might not have heard about The Social Dresswork, a new site that allows Harvard women (and men, if they so desire) to rent dresses from one another. Already the home of the famous Social Network, it seems Social __works of all kinds are springing up around campus. Join us as FM predicts the future of these sites around campus.
Fifteen Minutes: So, Dan, you created the Social Roomwork. Explain the basic premise to us.
Daniel X. Wesson: Well, The Social Roomwork, or TSR as I’m hoping people will call it, is a website designed to help students switch between houses on the Harvard campus. As I’m sure you’re aware, some students, usually those in the quad, try to transfer houses each year. However, many of their requests get denied. Our goal is to circumvent the university by connecting students who wish to sleep in certain houses with open beds in those locations.
FM: Cool! And how do you do that?
DW: Well, there’s a list of students looking for transfers that we’re hoping to obtain.
FM: You’re hoping to obtain?
DW: Yeah. The administration doesn’t want to release any personal documents to us—not yet, at least—so right now all we have are rumors of which students want to transfer. But that’s just a temporary setback.
FM: Sure...just details.
DW: Right. Anyways, we have that list, and we’re also creating a list of people who might have open beds. The plan is to match up people on the two lists so they can meet each other and create better rooming situations.
FM: Okay. And how might you create a list of open beds?
DW: I mean, there are lots of reasons why beds are left empty at night. Some kids go on trips a lot. Some kids get it on in other people’s beds a lot. Some kids just don’t like their roommates. Basically, I’m hoping to install cameras in each room on campus.
FM: Sorry, what?
DW: I’m hoping to install cameras in each room on campus.
FM: Of course you are. Why would I have thought otherwise? Continue.
DW: Anyways, the cameras aren’t intrusive. I’m sure people will forget they’re there.
FM: Will they?
DW: Yeah, of course. You won’t see anything. I’ll just know when you’re sleeping in your bed so I don’t send random people there.
FM: So just to be clear—you want to put cameras in my room so that when I’m not there, you can send Currier and Cabot kids to sleep in my bed?
DW: Yep! It should be up and running soon.
FM: I’m not sure how I feel about that. Have you run the whole camera idea past the administration yet?
DW: I sent them an email but I haven’t heard back yet. I’m not sure why—I was very explicit that I have no intention to start occupy movements in any of the rooms. That should put me in the clear for this, right?
TSR should go live in the next few days, so don’t be alarmed if someone shows up at your door soon with a camera to install.
