Story of Us
What makes Harvard so unique- and also what makes Quincy so unique- is the people. I have grown to love this house, and this school, because of all of the people that I have met by living in Quincy. I love my house more than most people because it was the first place at Harvard where I felt comfortable and included- Quincy really felt like a home to me. Freshman year was difficult- like it is for everyone- but I left my first year really feeling lost and not looking forward to entering my second year. Looking back, what bothered me the most was that I felt like I had no group that compared to the community I had in high school. I felt like there were very few people who cared about me on campus- I had my 6 blockmates and my proctor and that was it- everyone else could care less about what I did or how I felt. After a semester in Quincy, though, I began to enjoy Harvard a little more and I really think it is because I found a community of people who cared. In Quincy, the dining hall workers ask how your day is. The security guard, Paul, constantly gives me newspaper articles to read. My fellow hoco member, Gia, asks me to go to IMs and get coffee with her. Students who I have met once in section or at IMs will say “Hi Ronni” in line in the dining hall. My tutor, Senan, asks if I want to play some pick up basketball with him at the MAC. And the assistant dean, Judith, helps us during my many life crises.
These interactions- both big and small- that I regularly have with the people who inhabit Quincy show that they actually care and that realization has made all the difference to me. So, what I am trying to get at is that Quincy has helped me find my place at Harvard. And I want to make it my mission to create the same inclusive environment for many more students. I realize that my experience in house life is unique, which is why I wanted to be a co-chair, but at the end of the day, I just want people to look back at college and say “Hey, I loved my house and I had a lot of friends in it.” I know not everyone will care as much as me, but even if I can enhance their college experience a little bit and help one person feel included on this busy and often compassion-less campus, then I see that as a win in my books.
I want to designate this page to the people who have helped make Quincy a home to me and who motivated me and still motivate me now to do the best job that I can as a HoCo chair. On this page, I also want to explore what makes Quincy unique in the eyes of most of its members.
The video at the end of the photos also gives a glimpse at house life in Quincy. I included events that are central to house spirit and are either run by or supported by HoCo. Housing day (0:05) is probably the most important day for a HoCo. It is when freshmen get sorted into their house for the next three years and the upperclassmen get crazy and storm the freshmen's dorm telling them what house they got. Intramural sports (1:06) was also included in the video just because it was a central part of my house experience and I think it is the best way for the house to build community. Field day (1:53) is an event run by HoCo that happens in early September. It is a competition between all three years and the house staff that is composed of fun backyard birthday party type games like water balloon toss and tug of war. I also included a look at formals and Festas (or steins) (2:54) which are both very much HoCo events. Formals are fancy dances and Festas are small gatherings in common spaces in the house where food and alcohol is served (to those 21 or older). At the very end of the video I asked a few familiar Quincy faces to explain why they believe Quincy is unique (3:18).
