A half-empty can of evaporated milk, a few leftover falafels wrapped in tin foil, two cans of tuna, three potatoes, a bag of carrots, half eaten brownies, a package of fahitas, one yogurt, two pears, half a clove of garlic, condiments and a few liquors are in your refrigerator.
Could you make a meal out of this? Well, students in Spelman learn how to make do.
"It's a Darwinian struggle for existence," explained Jon Gebhardt '03, somewhat embarrassed about the contents of the refrigerator he shares with his roommate. "If I can't get myself enough food to eat, I don't deserve to live."
Gebhardt said he keeps a box of balance bars under his bed for a quick breakfast, and eats dinner five days a week at Chinese language tables to keep from starving.
On the refrigerator, he has a picture of an overweight cat, a pet back home. "It reminds me, don't eat too much," Gebhardt said, but anyone who saw the contents of the refrigerator would hardly think that would be a problem.
Others, however, boast of their culinary talents and loaded kitchens. Stephen Lu '03 said he and his roommates in 63 Spelman cook for each other once a week and invite friends over for dinner frequently.
Members of 14 Spelman keep kosher, with two sets of dishes in the cupboards, and a nice cheese selection in the fridge.
Sean Ir '03 dug out kosher mozzarella, smoked hickory, romano, sharp cheddar, swiss and was disappointed to see they had run out of Gouda.
"We cook just about all the time," said his roommate, Paul Hooper '03, adding that homemade spaghetti sauce was a particular favorite of theirs.
While preparing meals can be a chore, most students seem to enjoy not being tied to an eating club.
"I like the freedom it gives you," said Sarah Thomas '04, "It's 10:30 right now, and I want to have dinner, and I don't have to pay for dinner I didn't have at six."
Fending for themselves also takes some Spelmanites off campus more than other students and they take advantage of their proximity to the 'Wa and Lot 23.
Several students said they worried about social isolation the most before drawing Spelman, but that they quickly learned there is no lack for a social life in Spelman.
The consensus among Spelman students is that social life is what you make it. Some students say they party more now that they are in Spelman, while others say they have felt isolated at times.
"When you live in Spelman, you can go to the world, or you can bring the world to you," Ir said.
"We take the entertaining seriously . . . the common room is one of the best things about the place," Ir added.
"We've had no trouble throwing parties," Thomas said. "There was one party on the top floor where the head count was nearly 150."
"Don't tell the fire inspectors!" her roommate, Kathleen Bader '04 interrupted.
Seniors who did not live in Spelman last year said the social scene was the same as in other dorms. "A lot of people do it [live in Spelman] for the same reason people join an eating club — because their friends are doing it," Bader said.
Thomas and Bader live in 16 Spelman, one of the four apartments of performing arts-oriented friends who drew together in the top of entryway one.
"We bring the parts of the world that we want," said Ir. "Spelman is like a clean slate. If you want to live a monk's life you can, if you want to live a hedonistic lifestyle, you can do that too."
Spelmanites must do their own chores, including taking out the garbage and cleaning the toilets, if at all.
While many Spelman students take pride in doing their own chores, others just laugh when asked about vacuuming. But everyone agreed that taking care of yourself is an essential part of the Spelman experience.
"I like being able to take the trash out. I'm good with trash. That's one thing I can do." said Gebhardt. "It's a positive experience. Cleaning the toilet is not as much fun."
"You come to really appreciate the janitors more," said Calvin Chan GS, who lived in Spelman last year and was visiting friends in 77 Spelman.
John Saunders '03 of 63 said he enjoys the independence that comes with chores. "I like the feeling that you've got your whole life of your own, you're not being taken care of. It's more like real life."
Some students invest a lot of energy into decorating their rooms.
63 Spelman has Christmas lights that flash in time to music playing over the sound system. Three strands of Christmas lights are in sync with the treble, the alto, and the base, thanks to the design of roommate Erik Nielsen '03. In the common room there is also fiber-optic Christmas tree and a betta fish named "die another day."
14 Spelman is a party waiting to happen, with common room décor that includes wall hangings, two black couches and even two hookahs, which are middle-eastern smoking apparati.
Glass world
The plentitude of glass that characterizes Spelman is both fun and creepy, Spelmanites agreed.
"You can see everyone, and they can see you," said Scott Worswick '03, Gebhardt's roommate in 75. "People have said they've watched me before."
"There's an element of voyeurism and exhibitionism which has increased in the last two weeks with the falling leaves," said Hooper. "In the springtime, going into my bedroom is like living in a tree-house."
When asked what he meant about voyeurism and exhibitionism, his roommate Ir said, "I like getting up in the mornings and cooking naked."
There are no windows into the kitchen, but Ir and Hooper said that the huge glass windows that reveal their common room to the world adds a little extra something to everything they do.
Nonetheless, Hooper said, "This is the first place I feel like I've really had a home."
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