Squirrels chewing holes in cereal boxes, one-on-one pong tournaments on any and all weeknights, calling the police to get rid of a bat -- do any of these scenarios sound familiar? Living in Hanover proper is what makes sophomore summer so new and different for many members of the sophomore class. We talked to some of our classmates living off-campus for their stories.
Wild Animal Stories
Unless you lived in McLaughlin your freshman year -- where you may have seen the occasional mouse -- you probably have not had to deal with any sort of animal infestations in your residence halls since you came to Dartmouth. A good number of people living off-campus, however, live in older houses that are not exactly...clean. While a few spiders surprise no one, Dartmouth '10s have had adventures with skunks, squirrels and one very persistent bat.
Uma Mullapudi '10, who lives in a house on South Park Street, recounted coming home from Meetings one night to a horrible smell. A skunk had sprayed their property, so she and her roommates spent the next several days opening windows to air out their house and boiling vinegar to make the smell go away. (We looked on Wikipedia; there is a wikibook about skunks and "the removal of skunk odor." Just in case you were wondering, it recommends mixing hydrogen peroxide, baking soda and liquid soap and applying the mixture to the spot where the skunk sprayed.)
The current residents of 13 School Street told us they have squirrels living in the ceilings that chew through boxes
of food in the kitchen and just generally make messes all over the place.
If you read the Police Blotter, you may have noticed an incident involving a call to Hanover Police regarding a bat ("Police Blotter," July 15). Jane Kurtzman '10's housemates did not believe her story until the bat returned as they were laughing about the incident the next day. The bat's appearances in the Blue Zoo, where Kurtzman lives, became regular occasions. The Blue Zoo residents tried various suggested strategies to no avail. For example, when they tried leaving the lights off and the windows open, a squirrel moved in. The epic bat saga ended when -- fortunately for the bat -- an intoxicated, animal-loving visitor grabbed the creature in her hands and deposited it outside.
"Now we just have spiders because the bat is no longer there to eat them," Kurtzman said. Apparently student occupants of the Blue Zoo from summers past have dealt with unwelcome animal visitors too...have Dartmouth students nicknamed the house the "zoo" for a reason?
Pong, House Traditions and Parties
When they're not too busy catching squirrels and killing spiders, off-campus residents can enjoy a homely environment that's more welcoming than dorms and more conducive to socializing.
Students living in the West Wheelock apartments have made use of their backyard pong tables and have held several parties. However, they note the hassle of keeping their houses clean without the convenience of ORL. One resident said that his roommates pretend they're having a party every week so that they force themselves to clean the apartment regularly.
Last summer Lauren Indvik '09 lived in 25 Valley Street with a group of '08s, '09s and '10s. Despite their eclectic group of roommates, some of whom had never met before the summer term, they spent time together watching DVDs and eating. "Every Sunday our resident chef would make these elaborate 3-course meals and amazing desserts. We'd all sit outside on Sunday nights and light candles and hang out and chat and eat these amazing dinners." 25 Valley boasts a pornography-covered pong table as its claim to fame.
Eli Mitchell '10 has a slightly longer tradition of pong at her house. This summer she's moved back home to 17 Rope Ferry Rd, just three houses past Dick's House. Her garages are home to three pong tables and a unique set of house rules that account for the garage doors. Eli's personal "Estadio de Pong" rivals a fraternity basement, complete with empty cans of Keystone (or, God forbid, the occasional Bud Light,) tournament brackets written on the walls, and a list of personal B.A.Cs, provided by Safety and Security and AlcoHAWK breathalyzers. The Mitchell house also hosts a summer semi-formal, a tradition that has continued for several years now.
One resident of 23 School Street described a crazier side of off-campus "night-life" saying, "My room is amazing -- third floor outside single with its own bathroom and Jacuzzi. However, one downside is that it has no door and connects to the kitchen. This leads to awkward situations." There's another room in 23 School St. named the "Sex Pit." I'll let you come up with your own history for that one.
House Reputations and Legacies
If the legacy of the Blue Zoo is animal infestations and 23 School Street is known for a "sex pit," what of the other storied, nicknamed off-campus houses? We've heard rumors floating around about summer tenants striving to live up to the reputations of those who have lived in the house before them. Off-campus houses are sometimes "passed down" -- younger students take over the leases from upperclassmen friends -- in hopes that the new inhabitants will not only enjoy living there but will also embody the particular house "style," whatever that may be. We will have to wait until the end of the summer to know what legacies the '10 class will leave for 09X to live up to.
