Housing lottery begins today

Rising sophomores trickled into Cousens Gymnasium yesterday to nervously wait for their turn to choose their on-campus home for next year.

The entire process was surprisingly calm and non-chaotic, unlike previous years where it has turned out to be a rather loud and stressful event.

"I was afraid that it would look like a giant Dowling Hall," freshman Jordana Starr said. "Like lots of long lines and you would have to have to choose you room quickly on demand."

Members of Residential Life and Learning (ResLife) and upcoming Residential Assistants (RA) helped students with questions about dormitories and the selection process. Along side the screens showing what housing was still available was a large screen playing a movie to provide entertainment for participants in the lottery.

Freshman Ryan Kiel had the highest lottery number for the Class of 2006. He will be joined by rising sophomores Noah Spitzer-Williams, Ariel Rudolph, and Jon Alpert, in a West quad.

"Everyone's invited to our parties," Kiel said.

Some students didn't know exactly what their plans were. Freshman Louis Pu had a strong lottery number in the high 2900s, but was fairly nonchalant.

"The thing is, I have many choices, but no real plan," said Pu. "I guess I'm just going to go for a single, anywhere."

West Hall was the first dorm to go entirely, with Miller, Latin Way, Stratton, and Wilson House filling up quickly after it.

Cries of, "I'm so nervous!" could be heard throughout the gymnasium, but roaming RA's comforted the anxious students.

Some residents of Metcalf were allowed to choose their housing before yesterday as compensation for when their floor was investigated for asbestos over the winter break. One particular student was angry at the unevenness of this decision saying that she and other Metcalf residents "got the shaft" for housing. The student said that her room was torn apart during the asbestos search over winter break, but she was not able to select housing early.

"I lost clothing, possessions, and some of my neighbors lost their computer cords, all while they tore apart our rooms," because of asbestos, she said. "Yet Residential Life refused to hear what I had to tell them. All I wanted was to get to choose my room like the other Metcalf residents."

Her friend concurred, saying that "they didn't even let her know about [the asbestos]."

"Being able to pick her housing would be the least they could do. I think the housing lottery is unfair in general," she said.

Overall, the students were pleased with the whole process itself.

"I was surprised at how smoothly and calmly it went," freshman Ilya Lozovsky said, who will be living in Latin Way next year.