At nine this morning, I woke up to the sound of Beyoncé and a knock at my door. I opened it up, and there stood my neighbor- in her bath towel- wondering if she could use some hair products. I am not ordinarily a morning person; however, living in a communal environment has a way of opening one up to new experiences. When I first arrived to Cambridge, I spent a lot of time inside my room making myself miserable. Although it was an active decision to pack and move across the country from Los Angeles, I still could not help but feel as if I was being punished for wanting to embark on a new chapter in life. After about one week of moping around like Scarface, I decided to venture out into my hall and meet the amazingly dynamic individuals who were chosen to complete this one year journey with me.
Cronkhite is the one place in Cambridge where you can find people blasting Nipsey Hussle, practicing yoga, cooking kimchi, and hosting group karaoke all in a forty foot radius. We have residents from Hawaii to Australia, and everywhere in between, all under the same roof. Residents enjoy meals together in our dining hall, attend events hosted by the Resident Advisors, and congregate for social activities in the dorm basement. For those of you who are introverts like me, living in Cronkhite presents you with an opportunity to be social every day. You do not have to try very hard to meet people because they are right outside of your door; it is up to you to decide if you want to engage or not.
Living in a communal space comes with many perks; however, opportunity costs. Rent is over $1200 per month, but you are really paying for convenience. The rooms come furnished with a twin bed, desk, drawers, and a closet. People have very different definitions of cleanliness, which has been known to cause slight conflicts, but the restrooms are fortunately cleaned daily. The School of Education is also less than a five minute walk, which really comes in handy with this unpredictable New England weather. Residents are unfortunately required to pay an additional $6000 per year for the mandatory meal plan, the food is the same every week, and swipes do not roll over- but at least you do not have to cook for or clean up after yourself on weekdays.
The Cronkhite lifestyle is not for everyone, but if you can make it work for you, it can be a beautifully rewarding experience. I have met some amazing people who have helped me get through many tough moments throughout this school year. I hope that I have made friends whom I will stay in contact with after this year is over. I believe that living in Cronkhite was one of the best decisions that I made this year. I encourage anyone attending HGSE to give it a try. I loved it so much that I applied to be a Resident Advisor; I hope to see you on my floor next year!
Blog written by Naj Turner. Photo provided by Naj Turner.
Hey, I’m Naj! I’m in the Prevention Science and Practice Program- Elementary School Counseling track. I came to HGSE from Los Angeles, CA, but I’m a native of Freeport, IL by way of Marietta, GA. I graduated from UCLA in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in English and two minors in Education and Afrikan American Studies. Before HGSE, I served as a youth advocate through mentorship programs and access projects targeted towards inner city high school students. I love to write creative journals and listen to music in my spare time. In the future, I hope to direct films that raise awareness for mental health in K-12 schools as well as become an amazing elementary school adjustment counselor.
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