Grand Master Terminator, Mathletes, and Bromances: Something in Common

By GRACE PUKSTA 

For five weeks at St. Paul’s School, 269 students spend the majority of their time in the separate dorms. The main focus of the houses is the common rooms. Each room has a different feel, a different look, and creates an all-together separate vibe. We take an in-depth look into three dorms, two boys’ and one girls’, and hear insights straight from the students. The first installment of this blog focuses on the foremost houses that came to my attention: North, Brewster, and Manville. We view and compare the styles, sizes, and features of each dorm. Students express their personal connections to their common rooms, and what they love about their house community.

I waited in the common room of North for a minute, while one of the boys went to fetch the others. The common room was small with a low, dark-paneled ceiling. The furniture was mismatched and scattered throughout the room in no particular order. The space was somewhat old and musty, and a broken ping-pong table sat in the corner - collecting dust. From down the hall I could hear the boys running towards the room, chanting and yelling.

The North boys ran in full of energy, and ready to talk. Due to the small size of the room they usually hang out in the kitchen or the second common room, (undersized as well). The boys enjoy playing poker and hanging out watching TV.

The students were eager to tell of there favorite person -- Grand Master Terminator-- otherwise known as Fidel Rodriguez! He is their House Supervisor from Spain, and “has a ridiculous accent,” according to the North boys. He is also extremely smart, and has a vast knowledge on books as well as European and Asian geography. The boys admire him greatly, and enjoying spending their late nights quizzing him on “insanely hard questions.”

As a conclusion to our ‘chat,’ the dorm wanted to share quotes that represent them and their vibe. “North Boys, Make some Noise!” and “The flesh is weak, the Enemy is watching” Fidel Rodriquez. These quotations conveyed the North boys’ laid back and fun attitudes.

The Brewster girls, otherwise known as Brewzoo, have a spacious common room, with high ceilings, a kitchen attached, and several couches directed toward a television. The shelves around the TV contain several stuffed chickens, in addition to the other animal pictures around the dorm that express the overall zoo environment.

All of the girls get along well, and enjoy walking to meals and classes together. Everyday, they spend about an hour and a half to two hours socializing and working in their common room. The girls enjoy all being able to sit together, “so no one has to awkwardly stand.” Many of the girls often watch movies, or hang out together after ten, while the mathlets monopolize the kitchen table. “People are surprised by how savvy and cool we are; we defy the stereotype. We take great pride in being mathlets, but try not to tell many people.”

The Brewster girls love to laugh at their own stupidity, “How can you tell the difference between a Mac and a PC?” This quote represents the heart of Brewster. They except and enjoy their diversity of personalities.

Brewster’s neighbor to the left, Manville, has a similar vibe. The interior layout matches the girls’ dorm as well. The common room has a high ceiling, kitchen attached, and several large purple couches around the room. An additional aspect to the dorm is a large Charlie Brown cardboard cut-out in the middle of the second floor window, which looks down over the room.

The boys were a little reluctant to be interviewed, but once it started, they warmed up right away. The Manville boys enjoy hanging out, watching movies and TV, and especially, watching the Euro Cup. For the past week the boys have been swarming around the TV and cheering on teams.

They have all formed tight bonds with each other, and describe their friendships as bromances. The boys were giddy and enthusiastic to tell of the nicknames they’ve created for each other, such as; Donny-bear, Chacy-poo, Benny-boo, Karen, Brenda, and Natie-poo.

Each dorm had its own unique and individual feel. It was a great experience being immersed in the heart of these three houses, and I can’t wait to explore the others!