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The Spectator
A Closer Look: I'm on the Summer Waitlist
by Lily Gillespie '12Features Writer
A little over a week ago, the campus was abuzz with the excitement of the Housing Lottery. Plans were made, friends were pulled and tension mounted. The day of the Lottery arrived, and while those with low numbers were able to breathe easy, those of us in the far reaches of the number scale were not so fortunate.
Although most first years, and certainly the vast majority of upperclassmen, walked away from the lottery, if not satisfied, then at least housed, there remained a small group of us who seem to be stuck in limbo, also known as the Summer Housing Waitlist. I happen to be one of those people, so for those of you, however few of you there may be, I understand, and I feel your pain.
When I told people of my fate, they were all supportive, reassuring me that I would absolutely get housing and that it would probably be good. This was also Residential Life staff member Pat Marino's message to the 30 or so of us still waiting in the Barn at the end of the evening on Lottery day. While the majority of you may never have to experience the waiting game that is the Summer Housing Waitlist, I will explain it so that you may be sympathetic to friends who may not have been so lucky.
Each year, Hamilton admits about 2,000 students with the expectation that about 460 will put down a deposit come May 1. However, in order to ensure that there would be enough beds for all the incoming first years should more than the anticipated number accept, 500 beds are left open for the incoming class. What, you ask now, would happen to all those poor people on the Summer Housing Waitlist if all the beds were to be filled? Well, as explained to us by Marino, the College will do whatever it must to guarantee housing for everyone, even if that means making available buildings that may not have been used for housing before.
This article is by no means a way of suggesting that this happens to a lot of people; in fact, when I told our very own Features Editor Lauren Moon '10 of my status, her response was, "I've always wanted to meet one of you people!" It is an unfortunate situation, primarily because while others revel in their success at finding a place to live and make plans with friends for next year, those on the Summer Housing Waitlist must do just that: wait. However, not to fret my fellow waitlisters, for I am sure we will be well cared for.