My friends from back home and I were on Facetime and I was showing them pictures of the Amherst buildings. This is what we had to say about them!!
1. Morgan Hall
Vibe: Brooding dark academia with a soft side.
Morgan is peak moody liberal arts. It’s giving “I write poetry at 3 a.m. by the radiator” mixed with “I collect rejection letters from literary magazines like Pokémon cards.” The wood paneling, soft lighting, and heavy silence say: I’m thinking. Probably in italics.
2. Converse Hall
Vibe: The Rome section of The Met.
Stepping into Converse is like entering a museum where someone is always whispering in Latin. It smells faintly of old books and something spiritual. The kind of place where you read Judith Butler and suddenly understand her. The floors echo with academic legacy and ghostly monologues.
3. Chapin Hall
Vibe: Haunted scholar realness.
You don’t go here for class — you go here to unlock emotional trauma through metaphor. It’s all arches, acoustics, and existential dread (in a cute way). You might leave having accidentally joined a secret society. (MY FRIENDS WORDS NOT MINE)
4. Clark House
Vibe: Mismatched mugs, five books in progress, and a cat that’s not yours but visits anyway.
Clark radiates quiet, wool-sweater intellect. The type of building where someone plays Lizzy McAlpine through a Bluetooth speaker and edits their thesis in a corner by candlelight. You can practically smell the herbal tea and discourse on intersectionality.
5. Johnson Chapel (JChap)
Vibe: Prestige in architectural form.
You don’t stumble into JChap — you arrive. (slay) It’s the building equivalent of your name in cursive on a leather-bound diploma. You speak softer in here. You sit straighter. It’s where emotional moments happen. Big “I made it” energy. (true because tons of special events happen here)
6. Science Center
Vibe: That one friend who gets 8 hours of sleep, color-codes everything, and still somehow romanticizes lab reports.
It’s intimidating but inviting. Minimalist, airy, and vaguely expensive-looking. You go here to “study” but end up on the top floor yapping for hours.
7. Webster Hall
Vibe: Quietly brilliant middle child who publishes zines in their free time.
You don’t fully know what goes on in Webster, but you trust it. It’s overlooked, underappreciated, and probably houses someone with a very intense Google Scholar alert system. (not sure what my friends were meaning here.. if you agree let me know!)
8. Fayerweather Hall
Vibe: Artist in a linen smock who speaks in metaphors and carries at least three sketchbooks.
Fayerweather isn’t just a building — it’s a mindset. You walk in and immediately want to stand in front of a canvas and overanalyze your childhood. Every hallway feels like the backdrop for a slow indie movie. Smells like turpentine and genius.
Final Thoughts
Also… I have to admit: a lot of these building vibes came from my friends back home. Some of their takes? Spot on. Others? Hilarious. A few? Honestly, I’m still confused — but hey, that’s the beauty of interpretation. If you agree (or disagree passionately), let me know. I love a good vibe-based debate.
“Let the buildings judge us. We’re judging them right back” – my friend who wanted to stay anonymous (May 04, 2025)