By Ariana Chiu
Wait, so you’re telling me that it’s possible to have spacious singles, the best food on campus, and an amazing community… all in one house? Yep, Currierites truly have it all, so forget what you’ve heard about being quadded — everyone else is just jealous.
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You may have been told “Dear sophomores, please don’t expect singles...” False! If you get Currier (lucky for you) it’s safe to enter the Housing process with this expectation. Typical sophomore housing involves a single connected to another single by a sink, or, in a few special cases, a suite with a full bathroom or kitchen. Currier also has the famous “Ten Man” — a suite and popular social space with ten singles surrounding the largest private common room on campus.
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The physical layout of the House lends itself to a tight-knit community, with four towers (including Daniels, where most sophomores live) converging at the dining hall. With the center of the dhall occupied by a running water fountain, House Committee co-chair Austin J. Lentsch ’20 agrees with his fellow co-chair Jorge Campos ’21 when Campos says Currier “feels like a resort.”
One of the many common spaces includes the Fishbowl, a theater-like setup which hosts movie screenings, TV-show binge sessions, and recently a huge Super Bowl watch party. A quick walk through Currier will also reveal games galore, with air hockey, pool, and foosball tables just outside of the dhall. For your wilder side, the ever-popular Treehouse remains one of Harvard’s most prized party spots. Additionally, Currier recently added a “Makerspace” to its long list of amenities. It’s a room equipped with sewing machines, 3D printing equipment, and painting easels that would make any artist drool. If you’re less into making and more into shaking it, Currier also has a dance studio. And if art isn’t your thing generally, we have a feeling that some combination of the Currier Fitness Suite, the massage room, and the massive selection of kitchens will suffice.
If there’s one thing to remember about Currier, it’s the community. Though the sheer amount of singles would seem to be isolating, the small population, casual vibe, and close relationships with Faculty Deans Sylvia Barrett ’94 and Latanya Sweeney ’95 as well as the House administrators create a wonderful community. In fact, Campos describes having the “opposite problem of buy-in,” where Currier’s house spirit leads to over-attendance (rather than under-attendance) at their events. The overall sense of inclusivity is also affirmed by the students; Yanet D. Gomez ’19 describes the House as “friendly, welcoming, and a truly special community,” and adds that inclusivity is rooted in Currier’s history, being the only House with buildings all named after female alumni.
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Another plus of the home-feel of Currier? Establishing a “work-life balance,” Lentsch says. The House’s proximity to a variety of coffee shops as well as Porter Square allows for an abundance of study space options. Or, if you’re in need of a break, the gigantic climbing wall in the Quadrangle Recreational Athletic Center down the street should do the trick!
Perhaps the best display of the Currier community is found in its fun House traditions, where Currierites can be found belting it out at the annual Currioke, celebrating Halloween at their Heaven and Hell dance, or tuning in for a night of Currier cinema. Granted, this House doesn’t need an event to bring people together. Currier dhall is the place to be at all hours of the day, described by Sarah Zeng ’21 as “a relaxed environment where students can come down in pajamas and feel right at home.” Non-Currierites can be found hanging (and wishing they lived in Currier) in the dhall at all times — Lentsch remembers eating almost exclusively at Currier following Housing Day his first year because of the amazing food. See ya never, Berg!
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We talked to the HoCo chairs to get the inside scoop on what Currier is really like:
Any special amenities, besides the many already mentioned?
JC: Solariums! Three of the four towers have balconies that oversee the area within party spaces, so access to those is in high demand.
What’s the backstory behind those...rubber ducks...on the dining hall fountain?
JC: For a while, we had a giant rubber duck at the center of the dining hall.
AL: It was hype, we crowdsourced it.
Finally, what would you say about the walk to the Quad?
AL: You learn how to walk fast. Plus, we don’t have that slope you have to struggle with walking to the river Houses…I get to choose leg day.
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