When I tell other Smith students that I live in Jordan, I am met with a whole array of reactions. But they basically say the same thing. "Oh, the party house!!" Yes, we are notorious for having the wildest parties on campus and being constantly yelled at by Public Safety. At first, when I found out I was moving into Jordan House as a first-year, I was hesitant. I figured I wouldn't be able to get any work done, and people would be screaming and wreaking havoc 24/7. But my worries subsided as soon as I moved in.

The house itself is beautiful; it is one of the four houses that constitute the Quadrangle (the Quad), which is located the farthest away from the center of campus. Each of the houses are connected to one another, so on weekends when we have to go to another dining room, we don't have to walk outside to get there. We have about 80-some people living here right now, so Jordan is considered one of the bigger housing, which also makes it more dorm-like. Most everyone knows each other by name, and it is with the people who live with us that we hang out the most. There are four floors; the first-years usually live on the fourth floor, and the older women choose singles every year through a ballot. This year, I have a single to myself. Most of the rooms are identical, but closet and room sizes vary a bit. Of course, each room has a heater for the bitter Massachusetts winters. We don't get air conditioning which could be horrible at the beginning of the school year when it's still humid and hot, but it gets cool soon enough, and most people bring fans.

This house is definitely for people who want a good balance between their social and academic life. Unlike the smaller houses elsewhere on campus, Jordan (and other houses in and around the Quad) is not for those of you who want to study and do nothing else. Living here my first year was a bit hard for me to get used to because I wasn't accustomed to having this much freedom. But we all learn through our mistakes and other experiences, and I certainly did my first month at Smith. Jordan includes a mixture of different people. Some would rather study so they rarely come out of their rooms, while others would much rather sit in the hallway and socialize. But people respect each other enough to make sure they aren't being too loud while others or trying to sleep or trying to study. I love being here, and this house is one of the elements that has made my time here at Smith worthwhile.



Recommended: Yes