Few can find fault with Dunster. As the first house to be fully renewed, Dunster even smells new. Its wooden finish is impeccable and its paint untarnished. Some students may argue that the house’s appearance doesn’t compensate for its location as one of the river houses farthest away from the yard, or for the fact that many upperclassmen live in doubles. However, we think that if you’ve been given the opportunity to live in Dunster for the next three years, you can't go wrong.
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Sophomores in Dunster are placed into one-room doubles or three-room quads in Dunster House. A select few will get overflow housing in DeWolfe. The upside of living in a house that was just recently renovated? The place looks like a freaking hotel, has a pretty stellar gym and a beautiful, grand dining hall (mini-Annenberg, in a way). For those sophomores that do end up in DeWolfe, expect to have air conditioning, in-suite kitchens and bathrooms, and spacious common rooms. While the house doesn’t exactly have a party suite, some of the larger suites—usually reserved for juniors and seniors—are large enough to host ragers in.
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Dunster's House Committee Chairs Timothy Kang '18 and Jiho Park '18 answered our questions about the hotel-by-the-river's house community:
What are the best spots to chill in the house?
Oh boy, where do we start. Post-renovation Dunster has a plethora of spaces where you can get work done, hang out with friends, or meet new people. The Dunster Grille is an indispensable institution that unites the Dunster community late at night with delicious mozz sticks and chicken quesadillas. The Courtyard Lounge, Dining Hall, and Library are great study spaces, while Dunster’s numerous seminar rooms and floor common rooms provide great venues for watching Netflix, playing board games, and the like. The newly renovated basement gym is a great place to lift with friends, play squash or basketball, or go on a run without having to deal with the winter weather.
Describe the general house spirit.
Dunsterites are incredibly proud to call Dunster House their home. We’re incredibly blessed to have a newly renovated house with great facilities, and we all strive to build a welcoming community that continually challenges itself to grow as individuals. You’ll see us super pumped up and excited to welcome freshman into our home on Housing Day, and we’ll definitely make our presence known in the Yard that morning.
What type of Steins do you throw and what are the best events during the year?
HoCo usually hosts Stein Clubs every other Friday, and we try to switch up the theme every time we host it. For example, this year we’ve hosted Glow Stein, ValenStein, and Meet the Parents Stein. Other popular themes include Casino Night Stein, Luau Stein (held outside in our courtyard), and Karaoke Stein.
We also host small events between Stein Clubs like S’mores Night, Chocolate Bonanza, and Game Night. Our favorite large events are the Goat Roast (see below), Winter Wonderland, Hoe Down, and Spring Formal.
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How do you do in IMs?
While Dunster House hasn’t won the Straus Cup in a very long time, our spirit is strong and unbroken. We’re led by a very dedicated and passionate IM War Council, and we have healthy interest among Dunsterites for participating in IMs. Our tennis team was undefeated last fall, and we’ve had some great showings in crew these past few years.
What’s the “go-to” event of the year?
Dunster’s go-to event of the year is definitely the Goat Roast, which is held in our beautiful courtyard every year in the spring. Every year, we drive out early in the morning to pick up the goat from a farm south of Boston, and Dunsterites help skin the goat using pieces of obsidian. HUDS helps us marinate the goat overnight, and we spit-roast the goat over a fire from morning until late afternoon. In the meantime, Dunsterites play football in the courtyard, have fun in bounce houses, and this year will enjoy a performance from a student band.
We chatted with a trio of sophomores about their experience in the house. Here's what they had to say:
What is one thing you want freshmen to know about your house?
Zahra Rawji '19: “You get your own bathroom if you live in DeWolfe. The gym is amazing—it inspires you to work out.
If you had to describe your house in 3 words what would they be?
Aidan Connaughton '19: “The best, the best, the best”
What is your favorite Dunster House memory?
Ben Kruteck: Getting into the house on housing day and getting stormed in my freshman dorm, and also gloating to everyone else that you got the best house on campus.
What is the biggest misconception that exists about your house?
Sruthi Muluk '19: It’s not that far, and there’s a shuttle every ten minutes.
If you had to change one thing about your house what would it be?
SM: More rooms with common rooms and singles.
If you had to liken your house to a fruit, what fruit would it be and why?
AC: Strawberry because strawberries are good all the way through...very aesthetically pleasing...”
SM: “...and they’re sweet, like everyone in Dunster, and they’re red like our bell tower”{shortcode-c9ef47745ae538bf3f2f4b364782b86942d90554}
