Roomdraw looms in the distance as rising sophomores consider next year’s housing options for the first time. They are in an unenviable position. At the bottom of Roomdraw and without the convenience of living in the Freshman Quad, they will nervously await their fate, hoping that a good room will be left for them when their time comes to chose (or that they will win lip sync and not have to worry about the process). But there is another option. Single rooms are available without the hassle of Roomdraw. Friends can apply together, and many of the houses are located close to campus. For these reasons, many sophomores (and a few squeamish juniors) escape the pressure of Roomdraw and opt to apply for theme housing.

There is a problem with this scenario. The aforementioned reasoning does not include an actual interest in the official goal of the houses. Instead of being interested in a specific language, culture or interest many aspiring theme house residents are more interested in a single with a skylight or a desirable location. Unfortunately for the students looking to beat the system, there is no such thing as the Convenience House.

Theme houses were established in order to encourage students to explore different cultures and activities by living with other people with similar interests. Theme houses were also intended to benefit the campus by facilitating programming aimed at educating the student body on the specific culture, language or lifestyle of the house. However, instead of going into a theme house with the intention of absorbing what it has to offer, the houses have become a way to avoid Roomdraw and have a good chance to have a decent room without the hassle and without the risk of planning a skit for lip sync. Of course, not all students apply to theme houses with such intentions. Often, applicants with an honest interest in and dedication to the official purpose of the house find themselves competing unfairly with people that are simply afraid of participating in Roomdraw.

This undoubtedly affects programs that the culture houses hold. Without the right mindset, members of the theme houses aren’t as motivated as they should be when holding the culture programs. Many students see the programs as a drawback to the membership in the theme house rather than an integral part of the experience. The programs themselves are plenty and well designed, from Russian House Chai to fondue in Newport. However, the students don’t always gain as much as they could from these, performing potentially rewarding activities only in order to fulfill the requirements of having a decent single room sophomore year. As a result, those with a real interest in gaining from these programs may be left shortchanged.

Students should only apply to theme housing if they are serious about their commitment to the house and are willing to carry out their duties as members of an organization that seeks to educate others about different cultures. A spot in the halls of a culture house comes with an obligation to uphold the mission statement of the house by actively participating in both learning and teaching through interaction with other students with the same interest. And nowhere in the mission statement does it mention a hope of living in a single close to Val and all of your friends. Unless the administration can do a better job of making the theme houses fulfill their purpose, they should be disbanded and placed back into Roomdraw.