Currently on show in Lutnick Library’s Lobby Display is a photography exhibit entitled “The Spaces Between: Creating Place on Haverford’s Campus.” The collection, curated by Emma Scharff ‘25, is part of the Documenting Student Life Summer 2022 Internship. Photos from past generations of Haverford students are arranged next to descriptions such as: “These stairways inside Barclay Hall and outside the Dining Center are passages to more defined places. How does the publicness versus the privacy offered by a space affect the way students treat it?”
Questions like these had me thinking about how current students across the Bi-College Consortium treat the spaces they occupy, especially the spaces which they now call their own. Thousands and thousands of students have passed through Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges, and made their mark on each campus. What are the marks we make here today?
I visited the dorm rooms of students on both campuses to answer this question.
Denbigh 114, Bryn Mawr
The girls of Denbigh 114 are a close-knit group. They have to be, living four to a room. Yet, no matter how crowded the dorm might be, there’s always room for more in 114. Josette, the honorary roommate, is there to greet me along with Hannah, Tabitha, Josie and Sam. Upon entering the room, the scent of tea leaves hits me; a decked out tea cart sits to the left of the door. “20 kinds of tea,” Hannah says. Harney and Son’s, especially. The Denbigh girls are serious about ambiance, and their decor shows it. The theme lies somewhere between cottage-core and vintage academia, with a touch of French New Wave inspiration and niche cat art.
A Bluetooth speaker also figures heavily in the creation of an atmosphere. What’s on the dorm playlist? Well, it’s a miscellaneous collection, ranging from lyrical jazz of the 50s and 60s and Phil Ochs to Beyonce and Billy Joel. Cleaning days are a group activity, and Hannah mentions that the upbeat music is often used for motivation. The space speaks to the bond of these friends. “We brush our teeth together. And Saturday is laundry day,” Tabitha says, adding, “Hannah always waits to fold hers.” Sam wears a baseball cap embroidered with a 114. Her roommates explain, “we gave her that so she wouldn’t forget where she lives.”
Gummere 215C, Haverford
Emma Noonan lives in the largest freshman dorm on Haverford’s campus. It’s a fairly uniform building, but she’s found ways to make the space her own: “Every decoration piece is something I’m a fan of or a book I love.” For instance, the “Team Toby” shirt hanging behind her bed is a reference to Aaron Sorkin’s hit show, The West Wing. “That shirt is like religious iconography for me,” Emma says. Marks of her identity include a grandfather’s old compass, a votive candle painted with Jane Austen’s likeness, Bruce Springsteen paraphernalia, and items like Crispix cereal which remind Emma of her home in Nashville, Tennessee.
Gummere 215 is a suite of four rooms, with a small space adjoining them all. The doorway to the suite as a whole is styled with a hanging curtain of multicolored miniature paper cranes interspersed with a rainbow of fuzzy toy worms. “These are our children,” Emma asserts. “The orange one is Wormdrow Wilson, the purple one is Wormiana Grande, the pink one is Anna Wormtour, and the yellow one is Milk. We unfortunately forgot who the green one is.”
Merion 403, Bryn Mawr
Zoe’s room in Merion is a cozy single, and holds a great deal of sentimental value. “My tchotchkes are really special to me. Especially my lantern, because of the Bryn Mawr tradition associated with that.” Another special item is a garden seat gifted to Zoe by her grandmother, situated as a focal point of the room. Many of the artifacts which cover the shelves remind her of adventures past. “I have a lot of stuff from when I’ve traveled, like when I went to China and Greece,” she says. Tapestries above the bed and a vase of flowers create a serene atmosphere. Zoe supplements that atmosphere with the dulcet tones of NPR in the mornings, or a classic Disney film while folding laundry.
Merion 227, Bryn Mawr
Wendy Qu’s room is accented with all the senior essentials. Like the Denbigh girls, tea is one of those must-haves, and like Zoe, reminders of loved ones play an important role in the decor. “One thing I always have to have is my fake wisteria with the lights. One of my mom’s favorite plants is wisteria, she grows it back home.” Fairy lights are a dorm room staple, but natural light is also crucial for a tranquil study environment. Merion 227’s windows let in dappled sunlight that streams through Wendy’s stained-glass lamp. Paired with a poster of the color wheel, the light makes the room become a rainbow haven – just the thing for a stressed-out senior. Still, this room bridges the gap between study and letting loose; a senior cocktail night 2023 shot glass sits comfortably on the window sill.
