Saturday, November 1, 2008

An inside look...

Yesterday was an exciting day for me and my fellow newsies. The Miscellany had a behind-the-scenes tour of Davison House, which is being gutted and renovated over the course of this year. Construction began early in the summer, and by next summer, it will be complete and ready for the Class of 2013 to move into in Fall 2009.

Vassar's residential life is really something special. Students feel true, Harry Potter-esque affinity to their houses on campus. Some of my closest friends freshmen year lived in Cushing, which I continue to call home. Each dorm has a house team—a group of people who create all sorts of interesting programming for residents. Each week, Cushing has CommuniTea, where we can all talk with our neighbors, get to know each other over a cup of tea, and take a break from the rigors of our academic work.

Most of the dorms themselves are very stately—many are collegiate red brick, tudor style buildings, others are Victorian, and other are more modern. Because of their age, however, some of the interiors are getting a little ratty. Many of these buildings were constructed in the late 1800s or early 1900s, and certainly could use some upkeep. Not that any of them are awful. But after so many years and so many residents, the ongoing renovations to residential life are certainly welcome.

In 2003, Jewett House was overhauled and is now a pristine, almost hotel-like building (my personal favorite!). It features big-screen televisions, several multi-purpose rooms, beautiful bathrooms, and spacious kitchens. The rooms are cozy, with nice wood flooring, brand new furniture, and bright lighting.

Davison House, one of the four Quad Dormitories, is now being redone as well—and The Miscellany News got the first peak! Learn about some of the building's new features in this exclusive video. No doubt, the members of the Class of 2013 assigned to the new Davison will be very lucky indeed.

No comments: