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A&E
Housing 101: Pros and Cons of Deerfield’s Dorms
Mason Zhao '20 Staff Writer
May 23, 2018

Field

Pros: I hear this is the dorm where Fortnite parties are regularly held. Count me in! Sophomore spring has nothing on me.

Cons: Living in Field means that you might wake up to the lovely sounds of drills and hammers, instead of birds chirping, in the morning.

MacAlister (Mac)

Pros: Mac may be a little far from the dining hall, but it is still so close to the the fields, the river, and the athletics center.

Cons: If the construction isn’t done, you might have some late nights and some early mornings. Hope you’re not a light sleeper!

Rosenwald-Shumway

Pros: It’s a massive dorm in a great location. I don’t know what more you could expect.

Cons: Recently, there’s been a bug problem on the first floor. So, make sure to keep your room clean or the little buggies might come and room with you.

Dewey

Pros: Living in Dewey means quick access to the Health Center. You’ll never have to worry about a midnight medical emergency.

Cons: So, you’ll never have to worry about a midnight medical emergency, but living in Dewey means you’re sleeping right above the germs and illnesses in the Health Center — so make sure to wash your hands!

Denunzio

Pros: Denunzio is in one of the most convenient locations to live on campus: you have access to Shipping and Receiving, the Dining Hall, and your laundry services  right around the corner.

Cons:  Living in Denunzio is the same as the shape of Denunzio: an “L.” Just kidding. I just really wanted to use that line. Denunzio’s first-floor common room is smaller than a typical room in Denunzio.

Bewkes

Pros: The rooms in this dorm are absolutely elephantine. Not to mention the personal bathrooms in a few of the rooms!

Cons: Bewkes is quite the walk to the dining hall or the Kendall. Also, you’re stuck with seven other boys the entire year, so you might get on each others’ nerves just a little.

New Dorm

Pros: New Dorm is the newest, most high-tech dorm on campus to date. The dorm has air conditioning in every room, heated towel racks in all the bathrooms, and an elevator.

Cons: This dorm may be just as far, if not farther east than JL, so if you have trouble waking up early, this might not be the dorm for you.

Credit: Madeline Lee

John Louis (JL)

Pros: Studies show that JL girls have stronger quadriceps than the average student at Deerfield. This is mainly due to the fact that students must walk for at least 10 minutes to reach the dining hall every day (5 if you book it).

Cons: Walking to and from JL means you need to wake up extra early to go to breakfast and rush to practice — not to mention the game days when you need to catch that 1:15 bus!

Village

Pros: In the Village, the freshmen get to live with their entire grade, and they also have the biggest common room on campus, with a ginormous TV.

Cons: The Freshmen Village may be one of the few dorms where you are forced to live in a double, or if you’re lucky, a triple. Forced cohabitation may not necessarily be the greatest of all things.

Louis Marx (LM)

Pros: LM has two luxurious commons rooms with ping pong tables, punching bags and TVs. Also have you heard of a kind man by the name of Alex Platt?

Cons: Unfortunately, legendary proctor Alex Platt will not return next year. Hopefully someone else will be able to fill his absence.

Pocumtuck (Poc)

Pros: Poc used to be a hotel. How hospitable… right?

Cons: Have you heard of Violet? She’s the ghost that once haunted Poc, but luckily, she hasn’t made an appearance in years (at least we think).

Scaife

Pros: Scaife is a great dorm to become really close friends with everyone on your hall. The halls are narrow, and the rooms are spaced to enable the most human interaction.

Cons: The ping-pong table is in the basement, which is suspicious for many reasons.

Mather

Pros: The pets in Mather are really cute. Not to mention the feeds…Have you heard of a breakfast feed?

Cons: Mather is right on the walkway to LM, JL, and the Village, so privacy may be a concern. Just make sure to whisper sometimes and close your curtains!

John Williams

Pros: You have the door. What more could you ask for in a dorm?

Cons: “Built in 1760.” There were less than 30 countries in the world back then. Does the dorm feel a bit old yet?

Harold Smith (HS)

Pros: Have you heard of the HS towel warmers? You’ll never have to enter the shower in a moist towel ever again.

Cons: With only 7 girls, the halls are pretty small, so you better really love the people you live with!

Barton

Pros: Because it is right next to the baseball field, you can watch baseball games right from your bedroom.

Cons: Respondents to my survey noted that the bathrooms are cold. I hate cold bathrooms.