Leverett House

Hop, Skip, and A Jump to Lev

One of Harvard’s original seven Houses (trendsetter), Leverett spreads its large student body across McKinlock Hall, and the more modern F and G towers just across DeWolfe Street. But there is no need to twitch your whiskers, new Leverettites. The walk between the buildings is short, scenic, and arguably offers one of the best views of the Charles River.

I had the pleasure of being shown around Lev by HoCo Co-Chairs Matteo Markel ’28 and Raina Y. Wang ’28, along with Linda Ye '28, a member of the House Committee. On the way into Leverett’s dining hall, you might choose to take a jolly gander through the Light Court, a seating area filled with an abundance of natural light and plants — perfect for students who haven’t touched grass since the semester began.

You may also meet a local Lev celebrity (celevrity?) when swiping in. A woman who needs no introduction, the great BonLee, is at the center of the Leverett community, always there to “give a friendly smile” or chat with the students about anything and everything, according to Markel. Despite housing roughly 460 students, BonLee learns the baby bunnies’ names so quickly that I still can’t tell you my HUID number…

Inside the dhall, there are massive windows on two sides, providing the perfect sunset spot for you and a special someone…or for you and your study group at Office Hours, which are often held in the dhall). While Leverett does not serve hot breakfast, it always has a fully-stocked fridge to quench your 3 a.m. cravings (stress-induced and otherwise). And who needs those questionable-looking patties? Instead, Lev offers a wider variety of delicacies at their own Bagel Bar — bacon, spinach, fried eggs (is Berg writing this down?).

Luxury at every Lev-el

Due to the size of the House, the amenities are bountiful, to say the least. Leverett boasts “at least six pianos, two foosball tables, and one billiard table,” Senior and Junior Common Rooms, and the famous Lev Library Theater, according to Wang. For Wang, the theater with its high-quality audiovisual system is the selling point of Leverett House —perfect for Lev’s live music steins (more on those later) and its old-money spiral staircase really makes you feel like a Harvard student. There is “no other space like it,” Wang said, making it the perfect place to socialize with talented bunnies that will 100 percent make you regret your parents’ decision not to make you stick with a hobby.

There is a unique architectural dichotomy between the historic McKinlock Hall, constructed in the classical Harvard style, and the more modern look of the library and Towers. For some, the library is the perfect “quiet place to study,” and for others, it goes under the radar as a hidden gem — an endangered species nowadays. So whether you like the wooden, historical glory of classic Harvard architecture, or the huge glass-paned windows of the tower, you will always be able to find the best “bit of both worlds” at Leverett, alongside a “priceless view of the Charles.”

The Inter-lev-iew: Every Bunny Belongs

And, now, onto the wise insights by Markel, Wang and Ye. When asked to describe Lev in three words, there was a unanimous agreement that one of those words is “green.” As Wang eloquently put it, “Lev is full of plants, Lev is full of life.”

Indeed, the environment at Lev is made greener by the hard work of Evelyn Contreras, the House administrator, who “does so much” for the Lev community, according to the HoCo co-chairs. Contreras, a “big plant mom,” not only cares for all the plants lining the Light Court, but also organizes these “insane feasts” where the entire d-hall will be decorated with balloons, streamers, and hundreds of plants, Wang said. At the most recent one, the Lev Love Feast, Contreras acquired enough bamboo shoots for every Leveritte to keep and grow one in their dorms, and even made sure to have enough for trespassing non-Leverett residents to take one too.

But the Lev love isn’t just limited to this feast. Throughout the year, the house plans events like the Winter Dinner, where students can feast over a special menu at the dhall — which includes a chocolate fountain. The dinner also has a photobooth, the perfect opportunity to “dress up a little” and remind yourself that being chopped is a state of mind, not a reality. And so, these are the kinds of special occasions that the Lev community has to encourage students to “spend some time with the house in a very intentional way,” according to Wang.

It is no surprise that another word used to describe Lev was “home.” While Ye was being literal (spoiler, she is a full-time F Tower resident), she is also speaking to the broader community bond between the students and the Lev team: BonLee, Contreras, and the House Deans, Dan and Eileen.

Markel stressed that Dan and Eileen are very present in Lev life, swiping in students every Thursday for community dinner. “This is the largest house, and to have a Faculty Dean who will write every single person a happy birthday card, and if your birthday isn’t during the semester, they’ll write you a half birthday card — I mean, it sort of speaks for itself right?”

There are also lots of delicacies to look forward to at the Faculty Deans’ open houses, which include sushi, hot chocolate, berries and cream, and freshly baked cookies (are they looking to adopt?).

But Ye’s favorite memory was when she saw a photo of herself on the wall of their home amid those of many other Lev students. To be a bunny means to be “treated like family in this House,” she said. *cue the waterworks*

Hoppenings Around Lev

Another way in which Leverittes come together is at their weekly steins on Thursdays from 8-9 p.m. Yes, I said weekly. As in free food every week. As in heaven for all you lucky bunnies. Often themed, like their recent Chinese New Year celebration, the steins are the best way for new Leverittes to get to know their mentors, like Dan and Eileen, as well as upperclassmen.

Other steins are just “completely random and fun,” like the newly immortalized “Breadstein,” where one HoCo member is the designated Breadstein Tsar (is this a house or a dictatorship?!). After the Breadstein Tsar’s coronation, their mission for the year is to find the best bread in greater Boston — a daunting task — and present their research at the Breadstein. Yet another food-related event for Leverittes is their annual carrot-eating competition, where the best bunny gets a mysterious prize. When asked what the prize was, all I got was “We can’t say.” Truly ominous…it seems like these bunnies are up to no good.

Lev is forthcoming elsewhere, like in their weekly newsletter, The Rabbit Read, and for you incoming students, the Rising Rabbit. There is also Bunny Banter, the house email list, which often goes “crazy,” according to Wang — like with the epic bed debacle. “For some reason, people were selling beds. And we’ve been trying to figure out where these extra beds are coming from,” she said. “And then it evolved into a bidding auction where someone’s like: ‘Hey I have an extra bed frame, and I’m willing to sell it for $999,000.’” The right kind of Q&A in my humble opinion.

In summary, there are plenty of bunny-rabbit-hare themed events and decorations to expect if you end up in Leverett, including their lightup green bunny ears on Housing Day. “You can always spot us from a mile away.” And so when Eileen comes-a-knocking with her fellow Leverettites in tow, she will be able to tell her rising bunnies from the rest of the crowd. As Markel beautifully described: “The sea of green dominates.” If only that applied to Lev’s success in the IMs…

In case you still have concerns about Housing Day, fret not, for all Leverittes “Lev Love our rising rabbits,” a term of endearment you will not only grow used to, but grow to love!

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