A Quest for Knowledge...of Some Sort

It seems as though the word “open” in House Master’s Open House has recently taken on a whole new meaning.

This semester, Fang Yuan ’07, a Mather House resident, has discovered a way to satisfy her food cravings without succumbing to the dull dining hall dinners. Her plan: to crash all of the House Master’s Open Houses on campus and discover which one is truly the best alternative to Peanut Pad Thai and Country Fried Steak.

So far her mission is still in progress. “I’m planning on going to every Master’s Open House this semester but am far from the goal,” she said. “So far I’ve only been to Mather’s, Leverett’s, and Lowell’s.”

“Mather’s is the best by far,” says Yuan, though perhaps she’s a little biased. “It was the best because it had everything the other houses had and more,” including sushi (one of Yuan’s favorites) and monkey bread—whatever that is.

What was the inspiration for Yuan’s satiating pursuit? According to her, the idea sprang up when she was discussing Open Houses with a friend from Lowell, who then invited Yuan to the next Lowell Open House.

“I was curious about other Open Houses because ours was so good,” she said. “And the food is way better than the dining hall food.”

Yuan’s journey will next bring her to Dunster, Eliot, and Adams. Attending all of the Open Houses by the end of the semester may be a hefty goal, but if accomplished, may give her a bit more heft as well.