Student Life Archives

Scott Bressler

This just in: The Loop continues East of Skinker! Yep-there are shops, restaurants, galleries and more that stretch far beyond the Loop landmarks on the western end. It’s true that East Delmar can be “sketchy,” especially at night. But it also boasts some quirky, off-the-beaten-path venues that are worth a look. If you’ve never been past the Pageant, venture a little further and check out this list of intriguing places.

SHOPPING:

Melrose to Manhattan
6161 Delmar Blvd., Suite 101
314.863.5959
http://www.melrosetomanhattan.com/

If you want to take it slow, try this little shop next to the Pageant-still in familiar territory! Melrose to Manhattan offers brand-name jeans, trendy tops and a variety of bags to complete the outfit.

Fifi’s
6172 Delmar Blvd.
314.773.2234
http://www.fifis.biz/

This punk-rock clothier gets passed up far too often in favor of main-drag shops like Rag-O-Rama. But you’ll be glad you walked that extra block; Fifi’s offers a good selection of reasonably-priced clothes in a variety of styles, as well as punky accessories.

Alice’s Vintage Clothing, Jewelry, & Necessaries
6178 Delmar Blvd.
314.361.4006

A fun vintage shop with a range of styles that will all fit into the college budget, this place is definitely worth the extra walk. And when they say vintage, they mean vintage-not only funky leftovers from the ’70s, but laces, hats and gloves from as far back as the early 1900s.

Knitty Couture
6148 Delmar Blvd.
314.727.6500
http://www.knittycouture.com/

If you’re a knitter, this is the place to be. It offers unique yarns, books and even classes to perfect your skills and teach you the trickiest stitches. (Say THAT 10 times fast.)

Not Just A Book Store
5892 Delmar Blvd.
314.361.9955

Well, it’s certainly NOT just a bookstore. You’ll probably spend more time browsing the herbal teas than the books at this unusual East Loop spot. Look out for eclectic speakers and evening events every few weeks.

RESTAURANTS:

Selam Ethiopian Restaurant
549 Rosedale Ave.
314.726.7996

Just off Delmar at the Rosedale intersection, this tiny place is way too easy to miss-it’s unassuming front and small sign don’t do it justice. Expect fairly greasy but definitely delicious Ethiopian cuisine, with the classic spongy bread and lamb incorporated into many of the meals. Those who are serious about the experience will toss pride aside and go Ethiopian style-no utensils, just your hands and a few pieces of the spongy bread to pick up each bite.

Pi
6144 Delmar Blvd.
314.727.6633
http://www.restaurantpi.com/

Pizza, pizza, pizza! From deep dish to thin crust, Pi does it all. You’ll find appetizers and salads ranging from $4 to $11 and whole pizzas in the $18 range. Pi recently opened on 3/14 of this year-please let yourself chuckle, at least a little.

GALLERIES:

TNT Designs
6163 Delmar Blvd.
314.863.8860

If you couldn’t get enough of the cool glass stuff at Third Degree, stop by TNT designs. They do a little bit of everything-unusual gifts, glass art, jewelry and more. It’s right near the Pageant, so it’s also not too far for those who don’t have a car.

Diversity Gallery
6150 Delmar Blvd.
314.721.3361

Another place to find a little bit of everything. This venue is a cosmetics shop, a spa shop, an art gallery, a boutique and a hair salon all wrapped into one. Hop next door for a snack or some coffee at the cute Culture Café.

Third Degree Glass Factory
5200 Delmar Blvd.
314.367.4527

This one is a must-see. Every third Friday of the month, Third Degree offers free glass-blowing demonstrations from 6 to 10 p.m. It’s always crowded, attracting couples, groups and families alike. Grab a tasty treat at the bar and rock out to a live band while observing practiced artisans transform lumps of melted glass into perfectly crafted plates. It makes for a truly complete cultural experience. After the festivities, check out the gallery, where glassware and artwork are also on sale all night. Third Degree is a good place for a date, but make sure to bring a car; it’s a little too far for a walk, and the area is not terrifically safe after dark. When they’re not having an open house, Third Degree offers classes in bead-making and glass blowing, some of which you can sign up for through the University.

The Gallery at the Regional Arts Commission
6128 Delmar Blvd.
314.863.5811
http://www.art-stl.com/Gallery.cfm

This gallery is all about local artists. Meander in for a break from shopping and take a look at what St. Louis has to offer.

David Hartstein and Dennis Sweeney

As an editorial intern for Citysearch this past summer, I spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted to do after college. Head back to the West Coast, where I grew up and have always planned to live? Pursue a job in international relations, which would likely lead me to D.C. or abroad? After bouncing ideas around, it comes down to a question of dream job versus dream location; the two just don’t always overlap.

Many college students face this same decision when their undergraduate years come to an end. Of course, it’s not always a simple dichotomy; sometimes, the right job is already in the right location. But what do you do if that’s not the case?

Most Wash. U. students say that right after college, it’s all about the job.

Senior Alex Goodson has picked his industry and says he’ll go wherever he needs to for the right job. A double-major in economics and history, Goodson plans to work in both local and global agriculture policy.

“I would go anywhere for it,” said Goodson. “Someone I recently spoke to about job options said that for the first few years I might be in Caruthersville in Southern Missouri, and I’m fine with that.”

Goodson is not immune to the location bug, however.

“I have a strong interest in going abroad, so I’m looking into the possibility of working with Habitat for Humanity projects in Guatemala for a while,” he added.

He explained that this could happen before or even years after he starts out in the agriculture industry. It would give him the chance to experience new places even though his career will ultimately dictate where he lives.

Senior Marcus Woods said that he sacrificed his location preference in favor of a job with the Paric Corporation here in St. Louis, where he will start in July.

“I really wanted to be in Chicago, but this was a great opportunity,” said Woods. “I thought about jobs as stepping stones and know that I will learn from this company and apply that to future jobs.”

Woods interned for two summers in a row at Paric, which gave him a good sense of what to expect working there.

“I know what I’m getting myself into,” he said. “And I really like the people I met at the company.”

That prior knowledge is a luxury many students don’t have when deciding what to do after college. Woods said that when making the decision, he looked for a company that would offer chances for promotion and financial stability. But he added that this decision is by no means a commitment to stay in St. Louis permanently.

“I think that often the first job you take is not the one you’ll end up in,” he said.

So what about location? When your job and your desired location don’t coincide, is it best to go for the job?

It turns out some students use location as their guiding principle.

Senior Jessica Yoches, who grew up in Illinois, will head to the West Coast as soon as she can.

“For me, the location is really important,” said Yoches. “I like the lifestyle out West: the scenery, the climate, mountains to go skiing. I think if you like where you’re at, you’ll be happy whatever you’re doing. If you’re stuck in a nasty city somewhere you don’t like, you won’t be happy.”

With so many factors to consider, the choice of what to do where-and when, and how-can become overwhelming. But after all, as Woods pointed out, your first job probably won’t be your last.

This is where advice from my two summer internship bosses came in handy. Each of them took a very different approach to planning for life after college, and each has made significant changes along the way.

My supervisor, Gina, went for the perfect job. Starting at Citysearch in San Francisco right after graduation, she was thrilled to be working in an editorial position. Now in her late 20s, she has realized how important it is to be close to her family in Wisconsin. She also said that she would want to move out of the city if she had any children. For these reasons, she’s considering the move back home-but she also thinks it would be difficult to uproot herself now that her career and social life are established in San Francisco.

My other boss, Mike, chose location over vocation. After college (and marriage), he and his wife went to New York City, a place that had attracted them both for years. They made the big move without specific jobs or career plans. They liked life in the big city, but Mike realized that he would need to move to L.A. if he wanted to pursue a career in screenwriting. Relocating offered great jobs and career opportunities-but he didn’t like L.A., so he eventually chose to move again.

Both of my bosses had to try out different lifestyles to learn what mattered most to them. And as they can testify, lifestyle preferences often change; your priorities now may be entirely different later in life.

Some students take this into consideration when making post-college plans. Goodson says he hopes to prioritize location after he has established himself in the industry.

“I would like to be in a position in 10 or 20 years to choose where to go, to have the skills and influence to pick a place and have a job available there,” he said.

When deciding what to do after college, students feel tremendous pressure to make the perfect choice. But sometimes, the process of trial and error is the only way to find out what works best for you.

“What was the last book you read for fun and when did you read it?”

“I’m an English major, so I do a lot of reading already, and throwing in leisure reading is hard. I also write a lot, so really, there are too many words in my life.” -Anne Nickerson Junior Last book: “Magic for Beginners” by Kelly Link

“I read this over break. I never have time to read otherwise. My advice to people is to take classes where the assigned reading is something you know you’ll enjoy.” -David Cohen Freshman Last book: “American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic” by Joseph Ellis

“Wow, I read that during summer. That was such a long time ago! I think that the longer I’ve been in college, the more I read out of necessity instead of for fun.” -Rachel Yoon Sophomore Last book: “Memoirs of My Melancholy Whores” by Gabriel García Márquez

Still at a loss for how to enjoy the Super Bowl? Try out one of these recipes on game day and you’ll find yourself surrounded by eager fans of your cooking.

Beer-Cheese Soup

It’s sounds gross, but you’d be amazed. And for those of you who are 21, don’t forget the traditional rule: for each beer you put into the soup, drink another one on the side.

Ingredients:
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 medium-sized brick Velveeta cheese
1 teaspoon flour
2-3 wheat beers (Schlafly’s Hefeweizen works well)
1 potato
Water

Boil the potato for a few minutes or until slightly softened, then dice. Throw all the ingredients into a pot and stir until smooth. Let it cook for up to an hour, adding water (or more beer) as needed to perfect consistency. Serve it up hot!

-Courtesy of Eric Castillo and Adam Hayes

Rainbow Layered Dip

OK, so don’t tell your football friends what it’s called-just put it in front of them while they’re watching the game, and it’ll disappear at an astonishing rate. (Other chefs in the room will notice the cool color-layering effect.)

Ingredients:
1 « cups refried beans
1 « cups sour cream
1 « cups guacamole (storebought or homemade)
1 cup salsa, divided into thirds
1 « cups grated cheddar cheese
2 bags tortilla chips

Pour the refried beans into a serving dish (preferably a wide glass casserole dish at least three inches deep). Shake the dish until the beans are evenly distributed in a smooth layer at the bottom. Carefully pour two-thirds of the salsa over the beans, spreading it out with a knife to make a neat layer. Next, dollop the sour cream as evenly as possible on top of the salsa layer. Continue to layer this way with more salsa and then guacamole. Finally, sprinkle cheddar cheese across the top. Pop the dish into the oven at 350? for about six minutes or into the microwave for a minute and a half (or until cheese is melted). Serve with chips.

Brian’s Pickelami

Again, don’t think too much about this-just make it, and you’ll see the light. This super-easy appetizer is tasty and takes about thirty seconds to throw together.

Ingredients:
Salami, sliced
Soft cream cheese
Pickles

Spread individual salami slices with cream cheese. Cut the pickles lengthwise then crosswise for bite-size pieces, then wrap each piece in a cheese-salami slice. Voila, Pickelami.

Pigs in a Blanket

A miniature version of the classic, homey delight.

Ingredients:
Pre-made puff pastry (find it near cookie dough at the store)
Mini hot dogs, or regular dogs cut into four pieces

Pre-heat oven to 350?, or as instructed on pastry package. Open the puff package (and savor that wonderful popping sound. I swear, it’s better than bubble wrap). If you can’t find mini hot dogs, slice regular-sized dogs once lengthwise and once across to make four mini-dogs per regular one. Flavored mini-dogs are great if the store has them, but otherwise, you might want to sprinkle a little grated cheese on top. Next, wrap each dog into a triangle of puff pastry. Place them on a cookie sheet and cook for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown (watch ’em carefully so they don’t burn!). Serve hot.

It’s that time of year again: time to think over the mistakes of years past and resolve to do things differently. Everyone has something they’d like to change-and plenty of us have ideas about what other people should change here at Wash. U., especially if we believe in campus stereotypes. On that note, here are some possible 2008 resolutions for students and major Wash. U. figures.

Architecture students resolve to spend one night a month at the Olin Library so that they see their friends again before graduation.

Law students resolve to institute a silence contract for students to sign upon entering the Law Library.

Art students resolve to lobby for full-time art studio residency options.

Business students resolve to do at least two hours of homework a week to justify their tuition.

Pre-meds resolve to seek post-traumatic stress treatment after major exams.

Chemistry students resolve to stop watching all the lectures online and go to class a few times.

Anthropology majors resolve to put off picking a career path for another year.

Engineering students resolve to play World of Warcraft fewer than 40 hours a week.

Chancellor Mark Wrighton resolves to learn the Electric Slide and the Macarena for next year’s Dance Marathon.

The Danforth family resolves to conquer every building on campus by 2009.

And of course: Student Life resolves to include anyone we forgot in this article for next year’s resolutions.

Scott Bressler

We all got the talk freshman year: Be responsible with alcohol, steer clear of drugs and don’t disturb the community. We got a crash course in Wash. U. alcohol and drug policy, memorized the number for the Emergency Support Team and -in most cases-found a way to make our own lifestyle preferences work in the Wash. U. environment.

But how do other schools manage alcohol and drug use, and where does Wash. U. stand in comparison? Alcohol and drug issues are a top priority at American universities, and each school deals with them differently. Some schools publish (and enforce) thesis-length policies with detailed rules and sanction procedures; others prefer a low-interference approach and let students govern themselves.

Interviews with students at various universities and a review of schools’ stated policies suggest that Wash. U. falls on the lenient end of the spectrum.

The conservative extreme, as you might expect, is mostly made up of religious schools. Biola University in Southern

California, for example, does not allow students of any age to possess or consume alcohol either on or off campus, according to their published student handbook. Violation of this and other rules can result in expulsion.

Villanova University’s 2007-2008 student handbook details specific sanctions for different types of policy violations. For example, students using beer kegs or similar “common containers” of alcohol in a dorm room will automatically be put on probation, lose campus residency and be fined $500-that is, $500 per roommate living in the room where the keg was found. Drug use gets an even stronger sentence. At Villanova, marijuana use results in an automatic fine of $750 and, at minimum, probation. Second-time offenders are expelled.

The habit of punishing drug use more severely than alcohol use reflects a trend in federal law, and is common at universities on either end of the policy spectrum. But it doesn’t hold true at every university.

For example, University of California at Santa Cruz Residential Advisor Christopher Spencer noted that his school’s practices seem to push for stricter enforcement of alcohol abuse. This year’s U.C.S.C. undergraduate handbook sums up the school’s policy by saying that the goal is to make sure alcohol and drugs don’t interfere with learning.

A similar philosophy guides policies at many schools, emphasizing a low-interference approach that is similar to Wash. U.’s written guidelines. Alison Cohen, a junior at Brown University who served on the school’s recently created Subcommittee on Alcohol and Other Drugs, said Brown chooses to let students make their own choices whenever possible as long as no one is harmed.

“In general, we emphasize personal responsibility and harm reduction at Brown as opposed to penal approaches,” said Cohen.

Margaret Klawunn, Brown’s associate vice president of campus life and dean for student life, also emphasized student responsibility.

“We put a lot of stock in the resources available to students on campus,” said Klawunn. “We also have an amnesty policy for accessing medical services.”

Similar policies are in effect at Wash. U., as well as many other national universities. University of Pennsylvania alum Molly Gallagher cited the amnesty policy as one of the things she liked most about Penn’s approach to alcohol issues.

“I think that a really great thing that Penn did is to have a no-punishment policy where if you drink too much or your friend is drunk, you won’t get in trouble if you go to someone about it,” said Gallagher. “You should never fear repercussions if you take action.”

Many schools struggle to find a balance between imposing appropriate rules and granting students freedom of choice. According to Notre Dame Magazine, the University of Notre Dame took heavy criticism from students for making its alcohol policy stricter in 2002. The university banned popular residence hall dances due to their history of promoting alcohol consumption, and students rallied in protest. Editorials in the magazine predicted that the new policy would simply cause an increase in off-campus drinking.

Gallagher echoed this sentiment, saying that students will find creative ways to get around any rule. At Penn’s “Spring Fling,” an annual concert much like our spring W.I.L.D., Gallagher said campus officials tend to crack down on alcohol much more than usual and pat students down to check for containers.

“But all of us girls would put vodka in Ziploc bags and stuff them in our bras, because no one is patting down there!” said Gallagher.

She added that, on a separate occasion, several of her underage friends were caught on a security video bringing cartfuls of alcohol into their dorm. The students were punished by being forced to attend a house event-in this case, a pumpkin-carving activity.

Saint Louis University junior Adam Hayes, who transferred from the University of Missouri-Columbia two years ago and whose current roommate is a Wash. U. student, was able to compare the policies of all three institutions.

“I’d say [SLU’s drug/alcohol policy] is a moderate policy,” said Hayes. “Having been at Mizzou, where RAs could randomly knock on dorm doors and bust people for possession, I can see that SLU’s policy isn’t nearly as restrictive as other places. But having spent time at Wash. U., where the policy is more lax and more reliant on student responsibility and accountability, I realize that SLU isn’t nearly as progressive as it could be.”

It may be impossible to achieve the perfect balance of guidance and letting students have their independence. Some schools avoid the issue by not specifying automatic sanctions for policy violations and adopting a case-by-case philosophy. A disciplinary action chart on the Harvard College Web site lists wide ranges of possible punishments for any offense; sanctions for underage alcohol consumption can range from mere warnings to “requirement to withdraw.”

So where does Wash. U. fit in? Given the fact that a campus police officer recently tasered an intoxicated and belligerent student during a Gargoyle concert, Wash. U. might come across as a tough anti-alcohol environment. In general, however, policy here is fairly lenient, emphasizing moderation and responsible drinking.

The Alcohol Awareness Handbook (available online) sums up our school’s basic philosophy in a sentence: “Students should be treated as responsible adults until proven otherwise.”

Director of Judicial Programs at Residential Life Tamara King cited the University’s hallmark ReDD Flag program as the school’s guiding principle for alcohol and drugs.

“The University’s perspective is that unless your behavior is repeated, dangerous, disruptive or flagrant, we won’t interfere,” said King. “We try to promote students’ engagement in responsible behaviors.”

Wash. U. does outline specific rules on the types of alcohol allowed on campus; for example, kegs and other common containers are not permitted.

“To some, our policies may appear arbitrary, but these kinds of policies fall directly in line with our approach,” said King. “Know what you’re drinking.”

This attitude places Wash. U. far into the tolerant end of the policy spectrum, especially considering policies at the strictest universities. Alcohol plays a role in many students’ social lives here, and the University is inclined to “let it be” as long as everyone is safe and healthy.

Scott Bressler

The diversity surprised me. I come from the East Coast, and there are so many different kinds of people there. I didn’t expect to find that in the Midwest.
-Sandeep Venkataram
Sophomore

I was surprised at how weird some people are here-especially some of the random characters that were on my freshman floor.
-Nicole Sussman
Senior

Honestly, it surprised me that the library isn’t better. I know that’s a very grad-student response, though.
-Nick Kendall
Second Year Grad Student

It surprised me how safe the campus is. You just go to the Loop and other areas around the school and it’s not that safe, but when you come back to campus, you feel so safe.
-Julia Smith
Freshman

I came to Wash. U. expecting people to be enlightened and want to talk about what’s going on in the world. The political and environmental apathy really surprised me.
-Whitney Button
Junior

Scott Bressler

View all the salons listed in this article on this map:

During my freshman year, a student randomly stopped me on campus to ask where I got my hair cut. She explained, “I just moved to St. Louis, and I have no idea where to go!”

At the time, I didn’t know where to go either. It hadn’t even occurred to me yet that I would eventually need a haircut and wouldn’t have the first idea where to go or who to ask. Wash. U. students come from all over the country and the world; how are we supposed to know where to go for a good haircut in St. Louis? There’s always the option of waiting a few extra months to return to tried-and-true salons back home, but for those whose split ends just can’t wait or those who are just ready to try something new, here is a list of salons close to Wash. U. that have been recommended to me over the years.

V. VEGAZ STYLE

www.vvegazstyle.com
6174 Delmar Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63112
(314) 725-7900
ON THE LOOP!

V. Vegaz takes the hair salon experience to a new level. As you’ll notice as soon as you walk in the door, it’s all about atmosphere-hipster tunes, comfy couches and screenings of old movies make the space feel less like a hair salon and more like a lounge. V. Vegaz specializes in curly hair, but offers full service for all hair types. An extra benefit: Every customer receives a scalp massage.
A 15 percent discount is available for students who present a student ID and discounts are also available for employees of other Loop businesses.
Additional services: facial waxing.
Starting Cut Price: $35
Starting Color Price: $65
Starting Highlight Price: $80

SALON K

610 Kingsland Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63130
(314) 721-4168
ON THE LOOP!

Stylists Kim Meecey and Casey Ray own and operate this recent addition to the Loop. The stylists have developed their own hair product line, called Tools, which is available at the store. First-time clients receive 50 percent off any service.
Additional services: brow and lip waxing.
Starting Cut Price: $42
Starting Color Price for Women: $70
Starting Color Price for Men: $20

D-ZINE HAIR AND ART STUDIO

www.dzinehairart.us
6679 Delmar Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63130
(314) 727-0708
ON THE LOOP!

D-Zine is both a hair salon and a gallery that showcases local art. Artists submit their work to the salon owners and new pieces go up each six to eight weeks so that customers can browse from their chairs. Students receive $3 off the starting cut price.
Additional services: facial waxing, lash and brow tinting, beard trimming and make-up application.
Starting Cut Price: $27
Starting Color Price: $40

SIDE STREET HAIR DESIGNS

520 Melville Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63130
(314) 721-3710
ON THE LOOP!

This Loop salon has been in business for 27 years. Its owner and stylist, Randy Andrews, specializes in natural-looking color treatments. He has traveled to over 30 countries to give seminars on hair coloring. Andrews explained that much of his clientele is made up of Wash. U. faculty. “If Wash. U. wasn’t here, the Loop wouldn’t be here,” said Andrews. True to this sentiment of appreciation, students receive a 25 percent discount.
Starting Cut Price: $40
Starting Color Price: $100

GREAT CLIPS

6618 Clayton Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63117
(314) 781-9310

The site of my first St. Louis haircut, this salon is just one of many Great Clips locations around the country. The pros: it’s one of the cheapest options, it’s on the Wash. U. Red Line shuttle (you can find it right next to Schnucks) and no appointment is required for a haircut. The cons: no student discounts and no coloring services.
My personal experience: I came out looking as if someone had laid my hair out flat on a table and lopped it off with an axe.
Starting Cut Price: $15

REGIS

www.regishairstylists.com
St. Louis Galleria
West County Mall
Galleria: (314) 863-2229
West County Mall: (314) 966-2290

This salon chain has studios everywhere from St. Louis to Puerto Rico. Its St. Louis Galleria location is accessible by the Wash. U. Red Line shuttle. Regis sells over 20 hair product brands and stylists will make recommendations based on individual hair types. A 20 percent student discount is available Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
My personal experience: I asked the stylist to imitate the cut I’d gotten months before by maintaining the layers and I soon looked like I had time-traveled to my last haircut-exactly what I wanted.
Additional services: facial waxing and keratin-bonding extensions (using small, beadlike attachments that can be pulled out by hand if desired or left in for up to six months).
Starting Cut Price: $29
Starting Color Price: $55

A CUT ABOVE THE REST

381 N. Big Bend Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63130
(314) 726-2801

This full-service hair salon just off campus also functions as a tanning salon. Single visits are $6, and a week of daily tanning is $12. Students receive a discounted price of $15 for haircuts and get additional discounts using the coupons published in Ternion, the University directory book.
Additional services: tanning, waxing.
Starting Cut Price: $17-20
Starting Color Price: $40

Scott Bressler

When Washington University students arrive for their freshman year, almost all of them have at least one thing in common: they’re placed on a freshman floor in one of the campus dorms. It’s a time of transition and people from every imaginable background are thrown together to share a living space. For some, the freshman floor is just a place to crash at night. But for many students, it’s the place where they make some of the most defining friendships of their college careers-and the place to find future roommates.

Though not completely random, the process of arranging freshman floors involves a certain degree of chance. There’s no guarantee that students will get along, bond or have any desire to stick together after freshman year. Nonetheless, an amazing number of students end up living with freshman floormates into their sophomore years and even later. What is it about the freshman floor that’s so conducive to creating lasting bonds-or at least, lasting roommates?

“Living together in such close quarters makes it like a family,” said Sarah Podolsky, a junior currently living with friends from her freshman floor.

Podolsky lived on Lien 2 during her freshman year. A majority of the students from that floor continued to live together sophomore year and Podolsky estimated that nearly half of them still live with floormates this year.

Senior Marcus Behrens expressed a similar sentiment.

“I think our freshman floor was abnormally close,” he said. “[Freshman floormates] become your close friends. It’s just like living at home.”

At least half of Behrens’ freshman floormates have continued to live together even into their senior years. Senior Kelly Gelpi, who lived on Koenig 3 with Behrens during her freshman year, went on to live with four girls from that floor during her sophomore year. Behrens himself has had different roommates in different years, but all of them have been friends from his freshman floor; he now lives in an apartment building where two other friends from his freshman floor live across the hall.

It seems that what Behrens thought was abnormal might actually be quite typical. Junior Meredith Pierce, who lived on Liggett 2 in her freshman year, lived in a six-person suite with old freshman floormates in her sophomore year.

“Something big about our freshman floor was the vibe that we got,” she said. “Our floor got along really well, and we would all go out together. Our RAs did a lot for that, too.”

Pierce’s large group was not unique; four other girls from Liggett 2 lived in a suite together sophomore year. Of about 45 students on the original floor, Pierce estimated that over 25 lived with floormates again.

Junior Yogitha Potini, who has lived with freshman floormates every year, explained that it’s a matter of comfort and familiarity.

“These are the people who know you better than anyone else, since they’ve been around you all the time,” she said.

But the reasons for living with freshman floormates again go beyond friendship bonds. Many students pointed out that there’s a simple convenience factor in living with people you’ve already lived with before.

“You’ve gotten to know these people so well in freshman year, and you know that they’re people you can live with again,” said senior SegolÅ ne Zimmern, who lived with her roommate from freshman year three years in a row. “My freshman roommate and I just really knew each other’s space and when not to cross the line.”

Potini agreed. “With outside friends, even if you’re really close, you don’t know how that will translate into living with them,” she said.

It’s also important to note that Residential Life offers incentives to live with freshman floormates again through their dorm preference programs. Freshmen dorms often have sister dorms that house sophomores and students from the freshmen dorms get preference for housing spots in the sophomore dorm the following year. For example, Podolsky’s freshmen dorm was linked to the sophomore dorm Gregg, so many of her floormates chose to live together again because they’d get priority for the new and desirable suites in Gregg.

Whatever the reason for living together again, the pattern seems to be increasing.

“We continue to have more and more sophomores [from the same freshman floors] who shoot to live together,” said Cheryl Stephens, assistant director of Residential Life.

Across the board, students emphasize time spent and physical proximity as important factors for both creating deep friendships and finding convenient future roommates. It begs the potentially touchy question: if you had lived on a different floor, would you have made equally strong bonds with other people? More bluntly, is the freshman floor dynamic likely to create strong friendships regardless of the individuals? And the next question: if you hadn’t lived with the people from your freshman floor but had met them elsewhere, would you be such good friends?

Behrens offered a mixed answer. “If I didn’t live on that floor, I think I would be closer friends with the people that I did live with,” he said. “Wash. U. is small, but it’s not that small. In the first few weeks [of freshman year], people divide up according to the floors and buildings they live in.”

Behrens added that many of his friends from Koenig 3 share his interests and participate in similar campus activities and groups, which has strengthened their friendships and also makes it likely that he would have been friends with them even if they hadn’t lived on the same freshman floor.

Pierce remarked that time is a good friendship-builder, but it’s also a good test of friendship.

“It’s easy to be friends with people for a year,” she said.

After freshman year, even people who live together again can experience changes in their friendships, or shift toward other friendships.

Podalsky said this was her experience. “There were other people from my freshman floor who I didn’t know as well then, but who have become some of my closest friends now. The dynamic has to be right,” she said. “Each friendship is different because of what you experience with that person and where you experience it.”

April showers bring May flowers (think newly planted tulips), but on Wash. U.’s campus they also bring out an array of fashionable rainboots. A blast from our childhood pasts, these boots prove themselves to be both trendy and utilitarian. Keep your feet dry this St. Louis spring with a unique pair of patterned boots. Maybe you’ll see your feet here…

Photos compiled by Meghan Luecke: