Lowell House
A Beau-tea-ful Community
Lowell House is known for its proximity to the Yard, bell tower, plentiful traditions, and strong community (when united by tea). House Committee (HoCo) co-chair Behruz Mahmudov ’26 said the community in Lowell is “one of the best,” adding that residents are “very bought in to the Lowell House spirit.” In recent years, residents have become more invested in Lowell events, a contrast with the individualistic reputation they’ve had in the past.
United by their “big bell energy,” Lowell puts on several unique events that are cherished by their residents, including Lowell Tea, hosted each Thursday and serving as an opportunity for Faculty Deans and students to connect, and the Lowellympics, a weekly challenge series to compete for a golden elk figurine. Lowell might not be the undisputed IM champion, but it more than makes up for it by hosting these House-specific games. Additionally, Lowell hosts the Yule Ball, their winter formal (Lowell equals Hogwarts?), and Bacchanalia, their spring formal, considered to be “one of the best formals,” according to HoCo co-chair Rahul K. Arora ’26.
Lowell’s HoCo stands out (if its chairs are to be believed…); for one, their HoCo is noticeably wealthier than the rest. “We spend $10,000 more than all the other Houses,” Mahmudov said. “At the end of the day, Lowell is the best House. We have the most amount of money,” Arora said.
Not all Lowell traditions are cherished by students, though. Resident Uzma A. Issa ’25 said some residents complain about Lowell’s weekly ringing of the bells because of how loud it can be. You see it as an annoyance to your weekend, we see it as a built-in alarm clock; Lowell will keep you accountable, because even on a lazy Sunday you should NOT be sleeping at 1 p.m... Lowellians can even — if they need attention — ring the bells themselves, putting their musical genius on display for every non-Quad Harvard student to hear.
Lowell does bring uniqueness to the table with its residents. For example, Lowell residents defied the odds, achieving a statistical anomaly by housing two students from the greatest state: South Dakota. (I may or may not be from South Dakota.) Given that there are less than a dozen upperclassmen students from the state, and 12 Houses, Lowell did the (statistically) improbable.
Lowell House? Lowell Home
While I am sure you care deeply about Lowell’s traditions, you are probably here to learn about the living conditions, given you’ll be there for three years. If you get Lowell, consider yourself special lucky, as most residents have little to no complaints about the House. Issa described everything about Lowell’s rooms as “awesome.”
Lowell sophomores typically get hallway singles or singles/doubles in a triple suite, sharing a hallway bathroom. “The chances of you getting a single are very, very high, in a suite,” Mahmudov said. If you had to suffer through sharing a shoebox-sized double with your randomly assigned roommate freshman year and need a change of scenery, Lowell has you covered.
Suites are typically on the smaller side for sophomores, with spaciousness usually increasing as the years progress and you attain seniority. However, there are some exceptions given the vast array of different room sizes, like when a group of sophomores got the spacious ten-man suite and maintained it for all three years.
While some rooms may be small, the bathrooms in Lowell are nice, consistently “clean and fresh” and have “awesome” shower pressure, according to Issa. All of this can be attributed to Lowell’s recent renovations, which were completed in the summer of 2019, making Lowell the most recently renovated House (a title they will hold for just a few more months as Adams is set to finish their renovations this summer). “I feel like Lowell isn’t breaking apart yet,” Issa said. (We hope the key word there isn’t “yet”...)
Lowell’s Luxuries
Beyond their community and housing perks, Lowell boasts a wide range of amenities for students to enjoy; seriously, it seems nearly impossible to be bored with all there is to do in this House. Here is a rapid-fire list of their amenities, covering everything you’ll need to know as a prospective Lowellian.
Lowell House prides itself on its unmatched amenities and with good reason. The Maker Space, found in the House’s basement, offers Lowellians access to 3D printers, Cricut machines, a laser cutter, and basically every arts and craft material and device a college kid could ever need, available at all hours of the day. When you put your project off until 3 a.m. the morning it’s due, Lowell has your back. Right next to the Maker Space, Lowell Underground is another distinctive amenity. In recent times, it has transformed into not just a space, but an “initiative that aims to bring back open events for all undergraduates,” Mahmudov said. Considering the typical first-year Lowell Underground experience, this new initiative is a welcome addition.
Further highlighting Lowell’s strong community, residents come together to make the space and events “fun” and “accessible to people,” Mahmudov said. “We have a community of DJs, people who are passionate about music, and they’re really the driving force behind making each event fun,” Mahmudov added. The group, called The Underground, aims to enhance Lowell’s party scene. They may not have the coveted ten-man or Quincy’s infamous balcony suite, but the Underground is rapidly expanding to — hopefully — become the new coveted party spot.
Other than a work-in-progress upgraded party scene, Lowell has other memorable spots, such as beautiful courtyards (when it’s warm out), one of the nicer House libraries, a squash court, a dance studio, and plenty of nooks and crannies to study in.
Lowell is often touted as the best House by freshmen, but one thing they are not number one at is the quality of dhall food. “I feel like Lowell is no Currier, but nothing’s like Currier,” Issa said. While Lowell may not be at the top for food, they offer a unique dining experience. Beautiful chandeliers hang in the dhall, accompanied by a vibrant interesting color scheme and a podium setup allowing residents to sign up to give speeches.
Answering the Real Questions
With all of the basics out of the way, now is the time to learn about the quirks of Lowell House, as Flyby asked Lowell’s HoCo chairs the people’s (read: your) burning questions.
How did the Lowell Dhall Couple’s Sidechat performance affect Lowell?
BM: “No matter how obvious we made it to them, it seemed like whatever signs we threw at them, they did not see. And so over time, signs got more and more crazy. I think that Lowell House really came together on that one. “
(After J. Sellers Hill ’25, a Lowellian, entered Lowell dhall) Do you think Lowell could produce another Crimson president?
RKA: “Given the ability of Lowellians to really succeed in whatever field they’re in, absolutely.”
What is the biggest misconception about Lowell?
BM: “People think that people in Lowell House are too individualistic and they’re too independent. But I think it’s actually quite the opposite. We’re trying to have little hangout spots everywhere. I think everybody in the House knows each other.”
If you had to change one thing about Lowell, what would you change and why?
RKA: “Maybe changing the orientation of the tables in the dining hall, not for anything other than just to see what happens, if people like it. If not, then we could always go back; it’s just a little social experiment.”
BM: “Because we have so much money, and we run so many outings, because things are so far away, I wish Lowell had a Lowell party bus or a little golf cart.”
If you had to describe Lowell in three words, what words would you use?
BM: “Chandelier, bouillon-spoon.”
RKA: “Big, rich, blue.”
From good shower pressure to a personal bell serenade, Lowell ensures that living there feels like luxury.
Need to know more about the real estate market? Read the rest of the feature here!