Adams House
Quirks and Perks
Adams never has a shortage of social events. From themed Carpe “seize the night” events every Thursday (karaoke, anyone?) to Valentine's Day Chocoholica (because what is Valentine’s Day without chocolate?), Drag Night, Winter Feast, and the Lunar New Year’s Celebration, Adams is filled with events that foster community and promote diversity.
If you’re looking for parties, head over to the Senior House (a three-story building housing a very lucky group of seniors) or to the giant suites in Westmorely (with organs??). It was hype enough for notable alums like FDR and Henry Kissinger, and it can only get more hype as renovation continues.
Adams’ new faculty deans and tutors have made it a commitment to build community among scattered housing, especially through the BGLTQ+ support and pre-career advising.
In addition to the amazing advising staff, George the building manager and the beloved HUDS staff are integral to ensuring that Adams feels like home.
All About Housing
According to Adams resident Kayla M. Manning ’22, first-years who’ve been sorted into Adams should “get excited.” When you join Adams, you join a diverse family situated in the heart of Harvard Square. Although the official mascot is an acorn (that’s nuts), Adams is best recognized by its colors: red and gold. It is therefore not surprising that HoCo Co-Chair Joy Wang ‘22 placed Adams in Gryffindor, and Manning noted “it has Harry Potter vibes in the Gold Room and the dining hall.”
Adams’ aesthetic is certainly worth raving about. As the current upperclassman house under renovation, it is quickly shooting to the top of the list of most desirable places to live. The question is, when will the renovations be completed? The brand-new Adams will be fully completed by 2025 on a building-by-building basis. As a result, students will have a melting pot of rooms to live in from now until then, from the spacious Westmorely to the bougie Swing Housing Apartments to The Ritz Carlton Claverley.
And it doesn’t stop there. Adams also has some of the most unique common spaces on campus. Looking for an adventure? Take a jaunt through Adams’ case space, conservatory, colorful tunnels, FDR suite (auctioned for occupation during commencement), Bow and Arrow press, or Pool Theater (where *swimming* used to happen).
All in all, Adams students have lots to get excited about with respect to housing. From the stunning architecture to the delicious renovations to the diverse, tight-knit community, Adams, in Wang’s opinion, can be described best in one word: home.
Your Questions, Answered
Do you think you’ll ever be able to top the 2019 Housing Day video?
JW: “Adams is a very talented house. There’s potential for it to be surpassed but I think it’s cemented its legacy.”
Which HUDS dish does Adams do best?
JW: “We have celebration cakes. We had a cake for the faculty games, we get thank-you cakes all the time. We always do a birthday cake for each month. Those cakes are pretty good.”
Any cute pets in Adams house?
JW: “We have [a] new corgi in the house, Lord Winsor. In terms of cats, I love Silas and Eliza. We also do general ‘paw-fice’ hours. The thing about the pets is that you actively see them and can actively interact with them. There’s tons of pets, and the tutors are very happy to have you come and relax, especially during midterms and finals.”
Adams is notorious for the Fall 2021 fruit fly invasion. How have you been trying to change this reputation?
KMM: “Flies are gone.”
JW: “We now have a tradition of having a ‘Flies Club’ party once a semester. Super fun, super lit. I have yet to see a single fruit fly this semester. I think it’s a fun joke we can call back on and obviously with Flies Club now, it’s become something that’s just a fun time.”
Want to keep up with all of the goings-on in Adams? Follow @onthegoldcoast on Instagram, based on the nickname Adams acquired for being one the first dorms to get electric light and other ~fancy~ amenities (it’s lit).
Read more about the other Houses here!