1. The House mascot for Kirkland is the boar.
2. They used to parade an actual boar’s head around the dining hall and roast it for their holiday dinner, but that tradition no longer exists.
3. Kirkland is one of the smallest river Houses (but good things come in small packages).
4. The winter formal theme this year was the “Perfect Storm.”
5. Because their Junior Common Room is so beautiful, different organizations sometimes use it as a backdrop for their photoshoots.
6. Some notable Housing Day videos that have been produced by the Kirkland community include “We Didn’t Start the Kirkland” and “Kirkland House: F*** Yeah,” two repetitive, but catchy, tunes.
7. Kirkland invites the Cultural Rhythms celebrity guest come talk to them before the performance. This year they hosted actress Lucy Liu.
8. This House used to be home to Mark Zuckerberg, before he dropped out.
9. Kirkland recently had an election-themed golf party with different rooms representing different presidential candidates.
10. Every Monday night, the Boat Club in Kirkland gathers to bake and eat cookies. This club used to focus more on boating, but now people just come through to bake together.

Sophomore housing in Kirkland might be described as intimate. Although it might not be the most spacious living situation, it is certainly conducive to getting closer with your roommates. Students coming into Kirkland will either live inside of Kirkland House, or in Dewolfe, which has a floor specifically for people from Kirkland. There are a lot of triples and quads, though Faculty Deans are flexible with the idea of using fire doors to connect different rooms into a large spaces.

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While a lot of people immediately think of Currier when they hear the phrase “10 man suite,” Kirkland also has 10 man suites that are home to some of their annual parties. The two 10 man suites are located in the B entryway and are affectionately called “The Beef.”

Kirkland is a great House to get sorted into if you want to live somewhere with a lot of House spirit. No matter what your interests are, there is some way that you can get involved in Kirkland.

One way to get involved in Kirkland is to join the Kirkland Drama Society, which writes and performs a show for the house every seminar. The show is about an hour long, with only a week of rehearsal leading up to the play. The auditions are open and no one gets cut. House Committee member Joanna Guth '16 is the writer and director for the upcoming performance that Kirkland will put on. She says that she is constantly creating new parts so that there is room for everyone who wants to be be involved in the show. According to Guth, sometimes the most memorable people of the play are the ones who only had one line, so even non-thespians can partake.

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Another fun tradition that takes place in Kirkland is Secret Santa Week, which includes lots of dancing, singing, skits, and parading around in the dining hall. Search “Kirkland House secret santa” in YouTube and you’ll find lots of different videos from years past of the shenanigans that have taken place during this event. Guth reminisced on the time when she first felt truly at home in Kirkland, which took place during Secret Santa Week, the same week as her birthday; her Secret Santa was a senior boy who was on the House Committee at the time, and the whole week she surprised with different loving gestures. One day she walked into class and the walls had been covered with posters that said “My favorite part of Kirkland House is Joanna Guth’s smile.” Later she was serenaded in the dining hall by her Secret Santa, who then made all the boys leave the dining hall and then reenter with a rose to give to her.

Kirkland is also known for their wine and beer seminars that are given in the spring. They are hosted every other week, either by Faculty Dean Tom Conley, who gives the seminar on wine, or the resident dean Luke Walczewski, who gives the seminar on beer. Lots of seniors participate, as it is a fun way to learn about more wine and beer, while enjoying good company. The seminar used to be something that people could take for credit, but now people just go to sample drinks and hang out.

What is one thing you want freshmen to know about your House?
Even if you end up living on the Kirkland floor of Dewolfe, there are still tons of ways to meet new people in the House, like having a long dinner in the d-hall.

If you had to liken your house to a fruit, what fruit would it be and why?
Grapes—each grape is a different place to get involved in Kirkland, but they’re all connected.

Which superhero are your [Faculty Deans] most similar to?
Superman—all around awesome!

If you had to describe your house in three words what would they be?
Community, Quirky, Support