“Missing the point, still. Amarna may very well be a wonderful place for certain people - as are many houses on campus. Tim’s argument is that Dartmouth has a tendency to create social organizations in the name of openness that wind up segmenting themselves. They may be welcoming to a certain group, but they fail to live up to their ideals of creating a wide, diverse social umbrella. That is, they become subcultures. That might not bother you, but it’s certainly interesting how organizations touted as “alternatives” to Greek life settle into their own catechisms and wind up - in some cases - less diverse than the “closed” houses.” –Jamie Berk, Editor-in-Chief

***

You are standing inside an empty room in every way unremarkable. The floor is rough concrete. The walls sheetrock. In front of you is a window through which you see shapeless figures wander. Behind you is an open door.

People abhor vacuums because they are loud. But just imagine what a good cleaning could do for this place. Some paint on the walls. A TV or a foosball table in the corner. Maybe a couch in front of the window to take advantage of the light. It’s a fixer-upper, but it’s nothing you can’t handle.

You could invite all your friends over. Maybe make some popping-corn, watch a movie, spend late nights drinking and hanging out. It’d be fun. Finally, a place of your own. It just needs a little work.

You close the door. 

Photo by Helene