As Thursday's deadline for the 2006 room draw approaches, some freshmen cannot wait to secure new roommates, while others are anxious to repeat this year's living experience.
"I'm only drawing with one person I'm living with," said Neil Katuna '09. "I met the other people in my draw group because we all live in Little Hall. I felt a stronger bond with my neighbors."
Like Katuna, Austin Chow '09 opted to draw with his neighbors. He chose not to room next year with any of his three suitemates.
"[People in my draw group and I] have much more common interests and are much more compatible," Chow said.
One of the other freshmen in Chow's quad, Doorey Chung '09 said he found it difficult to get along with two of his assigned roommates.
Chenxin Jiang '09 said she will not be drawing in the same draw group as her current roommate. Although the two are friends, Jiang's roommate is drawing alone into substance-free housing to improve the chances of drawing a single.
As for her draw group, Jiang said, "We were good friends. One I knew from high school and the other is a mutual friend."
For Kate Stevick '09, the girl next door and friends she made while participating in Community Action were ideal choices for room draw.
For others, the random assignments generated by the University proved more fortuitous.
"I'm drawing with all three of my roommates again," Hugo Arellano '09 said.
In addition to the four in his room, the draw group also consists of three other people, some of which Arellano knows. He met one at the airport on the way to Princeton.
Ilana Halpern '09 said she is also drawing with her roommate. The two have been friends since they first met.
"I get to school with all my bags and I'm walking to my room. I'm fumbling for my keys in front of my door, and then a figure stands next to me and says, 'Need help?' and I'm thinking, 'Who the hell are you?' So then the rest is history," she said.
Mechanics of room draw
After submitting applications, each draw group is given a time to meet in Frist to choose a room. Groups who have students with special needs, such as allergies, are allowed to draw first.
For regular draw groups, times are assigned according to a point system based on class hierarchy. Groups with the same value of points are randomly assigned to a draw time within the range of draw times allotted to the groups with that number of points.
Anyone who neglects to submit a housing application and the unlucky students with the worst draw times are placed on a waitlist. Waitlisted students do not learn of their rooming assignment until the summer.
Moving on up
Last year, 85 students in the Class of 2007 were placed on the waitlist. Although these students are still guaranteed housing, the Housing Department does not promise specific accommodations. When contacted, the department would not provide additional information.
Once that assignment is made, disgruntled upperclassmen can request an improvement in their housing.
"By utilizing dormitory vacancies ... students are moved from the rooms they drew to 'improved' rooms based on specific requests made on the room improvement form," the housing draw guide states.
Assistant Director of Undergraduate Housing Lisa DePaul said the Housing Department ultimately seeks to use each room to its maximum advantage.
After waitlisted students and freshmen are placed, "typically there aren't any rooms left over," DePaul said.
Read More
GSG approves audit, delays budget approval after ‘insufferable’ meeting
Nikki HanThe final Graduate Student Government (GSG) meeting for the semester lasted more than an hour and a half when discussions over the proposed budget for the next year and a proposed Student Life Fee of $100 turned controversial.
The final Graduate Student Government (GSG) meeting for the semester lasted more than an hour and a half when discussions over the proposed budget for the next year and a proposed Student Life Fee of $100 turned controversial.
Effort to restore chapel’s pews slowly progresses
Ben GoldstonHead carpenter Jim Sullivan has been restoring the Chapel pews over the last year. The dry atmosphere of the Chapel has warped the wooden pews over the years.
Head carpenter Jim Sullivan has been restoring the Chapel pews over the last year. The dry atmosphere of the Chapel has warped the wooden pews over the years.
Metals, molecules, and medicine: chemical biology’s influence on health and sustainability
Aanya KaseraChemistry professor Chris Chang’s lab studies the chemical biology of the elements, specifically examining the roles that copper, iron, and zinc play in biology across all kingdoms of life.
Chemistry professor Chris Chang’s lab studies the chemical biology of the elements, specifically examining the roles that copper, iron, and zinc play in biology across all kingdoms of life.