As many students forsake dormitory life and begin to "play house" in off campus residences, the meaning of "sophomore summer -- no parents!" becomes even more apparent. Off-campus houses strike the perfect balance between the autonomy undergrads crave (the freedom to eat anything at any point, have gratuitous sleepovers, leave beds unmade and throw parties whenever the urge strikes) without getting into too many of the "real world" icky realities (homeowner insurance, house maintenance and repair, and (gulp!)a job and steady income).
There can be disadvantages to off-campus life (strange odors, bacteria colonies growing on unwashed dishes in overflowing sinks, ants, hazardous bathrooms, unsafe balconies) and can teach a Dartmouth student many valuable life lessons (paying rent on time is important -- as is cleaning your toilet bowl, emptying your trash, washing dishes and avoiding unstable balconies). Like most things at Dartmouth, off-campus residences are inherited from previous Dartmouth students and saturated with tradition and legend. There are certain houses around Hanover whose reputations proceed them -- they have their own nicknames, personalities and cast of characters (past and present) that make them special. Let's take a closer look at some of these infamous residences and what makes them unique.
The Yellow House
Watch out Dartmouth--the house at 21 South Park Street is typically inhabited by players (Dartmouth Women's soccer players, that is). The Yellow House's proximity to most of Dartmouth's athletic facilities (it is located between Leverone field house and the hockey rink, a stone's throw from the gym and the soccer and lacrosse fields) makes it a popular choice for college athletes. Its three decks, pleasant front-yard barbeque area, two kitchens, proximity to the Co-Op, and large parking lot make it the perfect venue to host dinner parties (or pre-hockey get togethers, beerBQs, pong tourneys, or cookouts--whatever you're into!) When asked about the cons of living in the Yellow House Whitney Waugh '08 answered, "It's sort of far from the library, but who really cares?" Luckily, the uber-athletic residents of the Yellow House are blessed with the leg muscle to make it all the way to Baker Berry, and if all else fails there is that huge parking lot (a ride up to campus anyone?)
49 Leb (aka "Free Love")
The house at 49 Lebanon Street is what one might call a gender-hybrid house--two years ago a group of football players called it home, this past year and summer it was inhabited by lovely ladies, but next year it will be inhabited by a group of AD boys. Needless to say, 49 Leb is rich in tradition. The 06 KDEs that lived there this past year left their party-girl legacy behind in the form of a corona hat/helmet shaped like a lime that current resident Abby Reed 08 admits to wearing on occasion, despite its spider webs. They did not, however leave the behind the nickname "Free Love". This moniker is a brand new, 06X acquisition. The grey house across the street from the Co-Op has six bedrooms, a spacious parking lot, and a great yard for tanning (if you don't mind the occasional catcalls from Hanover High students. Which let's be honest, this year's Free Lovers probably secretly love). If you are lucky enough to find yourself at a party at 49 Leb, and drunk enough to find yourself passed out at 49 Leb don't worry--the free lovers will make you feel at ease the next morning with a colorful brunch of egg and pancake feast and easy, light-hearted conversation (it has been known to happen). One complaint that the 49 Leb residents did share however was a massive ant problem they encountered in the beginning of the summer (ummmm...gross!). Luckily, housemate Leah Ansell '08 was able to discover the exterminator within herself. She said, "My roommates tell me I have a good eye at finding the ants. And I just have a knack for killing them. The problem is that the ants fake dead after you've squished them, and so we have had to resort to extreme measures. But I must say that we haven't had any ants in 49 Leb since June!" One disclaimer: the Free Lovers made it very clear that they hope this article doesn't make people want their house too much, because they are planning on signing the lease for their senior year.
The River Ranch
Is it worth a one mile trek to campus every day to live at a house with a roof from which you can jump into the Connecticut River? The residents of 182A River Road, also known as the River Ranch, would say it is! This house has historically been inhabited by BGs who aren't afraid of water or jumping from high places. The River Ranch's claim to fame is its roof which Kate Alpert 08 describes as "white, softish, flat and just perfect for jumping!" The most treasured bequests between different groups of River Ranch inhabitants are definitely the stories. Some famous River Ranch daredevil stories include Austin Lashley '07 getting knocked out after attempting a back flip, August Khen '07 slamming his back so hard that he whined for a week (or so the story says), and Karl Johnson '06's famous "underwater pass out". Residents of the River Ranch this summer have managed to straddle the fine line between extreme water sports and personal safety having incurred some crazy bruises and splashes but nothing life-threatening yet (knock on wood).
31 and a half
The house at 31.5 South Park Street has been lived through a constant evolution of names. As Becca Sacks '08 explained, "during the year some people called it The Rock House, but no one who lived there called it that. We called it Excellent Ikea, which I think derived from Excellent Idea (which it was not). Then it was just Excellent. This summer it was The Pool House, until the pool got shut down. Without the pool no one cares if we exist or not so they don't really call us anything." At one point the house was inhabited by a group of lacrosse players, then it passed into the hands of BG brothers, then Friday Night Rockers, and now a mix of BG and FNR. As Sacks puts it "in the past few years the general trend has been slovenly, easy-going folk." Which would make sense considering that several residents have to put up with very makeshift bedrooms (like "the cave" which is a hallway with plywood boards put up for walls and is completely without windows). The bathroom tub was most recently used as a vomit-receptacle. The pool was recently damaged and closed after a Fourth of July party and the residents of 31.5 are currently in the process of trying to get it re-opened. Some of the drawbacks as cited by current residents are the ownership whom they describe as "bloodsuckers", the high price, and the distance from campus. On the plus side, Sacks says that "it has been really nice to be near the Co-Op. I've been eating really good cheese". Which is always a good thing.
From ant attacks, to river divers, to makeshift bedrooms--these off-campus houses are only as infamous and interesting as the people that have lived in them over the years and the stories they hold. So thanks to everyone who took the time to answer all of my annoying questions. And if you think that your house is super-sweet and are pissed that it wasn't written about--well you should have answered my annoying questions! Thanks again.
