A unique feature of Amherst is that most, if not all, students live on-campus, and there’s the great option of living in theme houses, which are dorms or certain floors in dorms dedicated to people who share a common identity or interest. The two theme houses that are related to interests that aren’t tied with language or ethnicity are the Humphries House, commonly referred to as the Zu, and the Marsh Arts House. The Humphries House is a communal living space where students who are interested in cooking meals for themselves and others live, and they have a different meal plan as they’re very self-reliant in terms of food. The Marsh Arts House is for artists, and there are often events, such as CoffeeHaus, related to showcasing student art, in terms of writing, visual art, and music, hosted in this house.
Some theme houses are related to language. For example, the French House is located in King Hall, the German House is located in Porter Hall, and the Russian House is mostly hosted through the weekly Russian Table at Val and other Russian-language-related events. These theme houses were created to help students build their language skills and practice utilizing specific languages on a daily and practical basis.
The most popular type of theme housing is related to identity. For example, Charles Drew is a three-floor dorm for students who identify as Black, Asian Cultural House is two floors in Morrow Dormitory for students who identify as part of the Asian diaspora, Newport Hall is for people who identify as Latinx or speak Spanish, and Sylvia Rivera House is for those who identify as LGBT+ and located on the fourth and top floor of Moore dormitory. These houses have a large capacity and are a way for students who have these identities at Amherst to have dedicated spaces, in addition to the resource centers in Keefe, where they can feel safe and comfortable.
The process of applying to theme housing is relatively simple. During spring, right before normal housing applications open, theme housing applications open up, and students can apply by answering questions. Once accepted, students go through a separate process to select their specific rooms with the regular housing application number they get assigned, but theme housing is often a way to guarantee a specific kind of housing.
Theme housing is a great way to meet people who share common interests because there are often weekly events that people who live in theme housing are required to attend to foster community and build connections to their identity. Theme housing is a great way to meet new people and build a deeper connection to the Amherst community.