Cabot House Belies Rumors

High GPAs and pre-meds. Lame parties, or a lack of them altogether. And long distances from most classes and friends by the river.

Welcome to the traditional--but currently questioned--reputation that has maligned Cabot House in recent years.

"The general belief is that Cabot is the need dorm with the highest GPA," says Charles S. Woo '95, who lives in the house.

But that stereotype is slowly disappearing, according to many Cabot residents who say negative image ignores the house's improved diversity.

With the graduation of Cabot's class of '92--the last group of students who ended up in Cabot with the ordered choice system--and the influx of students randomized into Cabot through non-ordered choice, many say the student population is providing the house with an improved atmosphere.

"Not everyone here is super-academic," Woo says. "My rooming group alone destroys the high GPA myth."

As a result of the non-ordered choice housing system, the personality of the house is continually shifting, says Ross L. Levine '94.

"Cabot is changing because people here think that it is changing," Levine says. "A lot of us were randomized, so the house is becoming what we want it to be. Because we didn't choose it, we are not hoping things will stay the same when we get here."

Anne B. Guiney '95 says this year's sophomore class has had a lot to do with the changes. "I think the sophomores are kicking up a fuss," she says.

House Committee Chair Lisa Marie Robinson '94 says Cabot's class of 1995 has given the house "second breath."

In the past, students have perceived the house as insular, academic and "nerdy."

"When I found out I was going to live in Cabot, I was pretty devastated," Woo says. "At the time, being 'Quaded' was the worst fate I could imagine...But now that I've experienced it here I would never think of transferring."

Cabot House Senior Tutor Rena Fonseca said the house unfortunately hasn't shaken that anti-social reputation.

"There was a time when Currier was said to be the place where the nerd world meets the third world," she says. "Perhaps this is what people say now about Cabot."

In the eyes of many Cabot House residents, there is some truth to that image.

Many Cabot residents, including Guiney, say they socialize at other houses because there are few parties in their own house.

But Jonathan J. Koppell '93 says Cabot's social scene is not that different from the rest of the College.

"No one has ever accused Cabot as being overly boisterous, but it's not like Harvard is a bastion of partying," Koppel says. "At Harvard, everything is skewed toward the lame end and Cabot is right in there."

House Masters Jurij and Emanuela Striedter say that Cabot offers many opportunities for students to become involved in house activities. They mention the annual Dutch Auction, the Underground Theatre, the frequent dinner talks with famous speakers and the weekly Coffee Table as examples.

Students also refer to the annual fish dance and last year's "lambing" ceremony, when a tutor bid to be massaged with several pieces of lamb meat.

Many say that it is impossible to assign Cabot a specific personality because the house is so diverse.

"We do have the nerd world and the third world, but Cabot is too diverse to assign one type," Fonseca says.

Fonseca says students must work especially hard to cohere because many were randomized into the house and have a wide variety of interests.

"There is no one person who is Mr. Cabot House or Ms. Cabot house," Guiney says.

Jurij Striedter, a professor of Slavic and Comparative Literature, says his student and tutor populations are diverse in many ways--ethnically, culturally and socially.

"Diversity even starts with the masters," says Striedter, who is German.

Some Cabot residents say that this diversity is the house's greatest strength, but others view it as one of the house's weaknesses.

In the past, Cabot House was perceived as a "hotbed" for racial tensions. For instance, heated debate followed last April's riots in Los Angeles.

"It would be a stretch to say that the racial controversies here have brought the house together, but it has brought a shared awareness of a problem," Koppell says. "The result has been intense, but productive and enlightening."

Robinson, the house committee chair, says it is hard to generate a sense of unity among the more than 400 students. But she says that residents are trying to pull the house together.

"Because we have had racial problems in the past, people want to understand what happened. There is definitely a heightened sensitivity about these issues and people are making a sincere effort to accept differences," Robinson says.

"The Wall," a written forum for student opinions, was put up this past October in the basement of Cabot House in response to student apprehension during the aftermath of the L.A. riots.

Many students say that just living in the Quad creates a bond between the residents of Currier, North and Cabot.

"There is some truth to the idea of the Quad culture. It's the case of classic martyrdom," Koppell says. "We've all been oppressed by being exiled to the Quad, so we bond. We are bumming that we're here, but we make the best of it."

Other students say the Quad's distance creates a relaxed atmosphere.

"The house is so removed from the hustle and bustle of the Square. It is comfortable and peaceful here," Robinson says.

But while the distance has its advantages, 'Quadlings' often dread the 15-minute trek from the Square.

"Most of the time I like the feeling of separateness here," Guiney says. "But sometimes it sucks. When it's two in the morning and I have to walk home in the rain, I hate the Quad.

In the past, students have perceived the house as insular, academic and "nerdy."

"When I found out I was going to live in Cabot, I was pretty devastated," Woo says. "At the time, being 'Quaded' was the worst fate I could imagine...But now that I've experienced it here I would never think of transferring."

Cabot House Senior Tutor Rena Fonseca said the house unfortunately hasn't shaken that anti-social reputation.

"There was a time when Currier was said to be the place where the nerd world meets the third world," she says. "Perhaps this is what people say now about Cabot."

In the eyes of many Cabot House residents, there is some truth to that image.

Many Cabot residents, including Guiney, say they socialize at other houses because there are few parties in their own house.

But Jonathan J. Koppell '93 says Cabot's social scene is not that different from the rest of the College.

"No one has ever accused Cabot as being overly boisterous, but it's not like Harvard is a bastion of partying," Koppel says. "At Harvard, everything is skewed toward the lame end and Cabot is right in there."

House Masters Jurij and Emanuela Striedter say that Cabot offers many opportunities for students to become involved in house activities. They mention the annual Dutch Auction, the Underground Theatre, the frequent dinner talks with famous speakers and the weekly Coffee Table as examples.

Students also refer to the annual fish dance and last year's "lambing" ceremony, when a tutor bid to be massaged with several pieces of lamb meat.

Many say that it is impossible to assign Cabot a specific personality because the house is so diverse.

"We do have the nerd world and the third world, but Cabot is too diverse to assign one type," Fonseca says.

Fonseca says students must work especially hard to cohere because many were randomized into the house and have a wide variety of interests.

"There is no one person who is Mr. Cabot House or Ms. Cabot house," Guiney says.

Jurij Striedter, a professor of Slavic and Comparative Literature, says his student and tutor populations are diverse in many ways--ethnically, culturally and socially.

"Diversity even starts with the masters," says Striedter, who is German.

Some Cabot residents say that this diversity is the house's greatest strength, but others view it as one of the house's weaknesses.

In the past, Cabot House was perceived as a "hotbed" for racial tensions. For instance, heated debate followed last April's riots in Los Angeles.

"It would be a stretch to say that the racial controversies here have brought the house together, but it has brought a shared awareness of a problem," Koppell says. "The result has been intense, but productive and enlightening."

Robinson, the house committee chair, says it is hard to generate a sense of unity among the more than 400 students. But she says that residents are trying to pull the house together.

"Because we have had racial problems in the past, people want to understand what happened. There is definitely a heightened sensitivity about these issues and people are making a sincere effort to accept differences," Robinson says.

"The Wall," a written forum for student opinions, was put up this past October in the basement of Cabot House in response to student apprehension during the aftermath of the L.A. riots.

Many students say that just living in the Quad creates a bond between the residents of Currier, North and Cabot.

"There is some truth to the idea of the Quad culture. It's the case of classic martyrdom," Koppell says. "We've all been oppressed by being exiled to the Quad, so we bond. We are bumming that we're here, but we make the best of it."

Other students say the Quad's distance creates a relaxed atmosphere.

"The house is so removed from the hustle and bustle of the Square. It is comfortable and peaceful here," Robinson says.

But while the distance has its advantages, 'Quadlings' often dread the 15-minute trek from the Square.

"Most of the time I like the feeling of separateness here," Guiney says. "But sometimes it sucks. When it's two in the morning and I have to walk home in the rain, I hate the Quad.