How "Common" is your office?

Author: Joseph Bergan

The powers at be would like students to believe that Ross, Wonnacott, Brainerd, Cook and Atwater are all separate but equal Commons. Yes, Wonnacott has the Gamut Room, but Ross has the Ross Fireplace Lounge. Atwater has those beautiful new suites, but Brainerd has Jewett House and two mods. Wonnacott may have a panini machine, but Cook has their own condoms. Yet while each Commons would like to assert the many ways in which they are similar, there is one area in which every Commons can be judged: the Commons office. There is no space on campus that better exemplifies the differences between the Commons than their offices. But what's in an office? Sure they all have couches and tables and Scrabble, but beyond the standard niceties, each office asserts its own personality.

Your trusty Features Editor stopped by all five Commons offices during lunchtime last week. Rather than capturing the offices at their peak of productivity, he put each office to the test, seeing how they can entertain their students when nothing is happening. All Commons Deans were out to lunch so he solicited most information for this article from the students manning the desks...

Atwater
Atwater has the newest and decidedly most posh Commons office. With magazines such as Climbing, Runner's World, Powder, Outside and Vermont Life, this office clearly prides itself on its love of the outdoors. "[Atwater Commons Coordinator Debbie Cousino] can fax things for you!" says the eager Annie Onishi '09, beaming with Atwater pride.
"Debbie is the keeper of the fax machine," Onishi adds.
"You sound like someone in a Christopher Guest movie," quips Allison Levy '09, who just happened to be hanging out in the office during lunch. While all other Commons offices have that standard set of board games, Atwater goes the next step with the patented, "Closet o' Fun." Full of bocce sets, sleds and kickballs, the Closet o' Fun could keep the entire Commons satisfied at once.
Like the Ross Commons office, the Atwater Commons office has a large conference room, and as Onishi proudly displayed, a refrigerator full of fondue cheese. Although somewhat lacking in overall candy output - only Starburst jelly beans were readily available, - the Atwater Commons office is a bright, clean cheery place. As this reporter sunk into the unrivaled plush chairs in the office, Onishi said, "You like that? That's like a hug from Atwater Commons."
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Brainerd
Like Ross and Atwater's offices, the Brainerd Commons office lies in close proximity to a dining hall - a key to notoriety and accessibility. The Brainerd office also has a fantastic display of magazines including Sports Illustrated, Newsweek and Vogue.
New student aid Charlie Fry '10.5 granted The Campus Internet privileges while he solved a rubix cube at the office's large table. But it's not all about Brainerd's magazines or rubix cube wielding assistants, the beauty of this office lies in the candy bowl - and what a candy bowl! King size Charleston Chews! Bowls of Skittles at every turn! Cookies in a jar! After Ross, this place was like heaven! Natural light beamed into this office, whose staff prides itself on what Fry calls, "the nicest receptionist in the world," Brainerd Commons Coordinator Karin Hall-Kolts. Brainerd is also fully equipped with pots and pans to sign out as well as its famous Brainbusters, with enough movies to satiate any J-term incubation period.
Rating: 3 out of 5

Cook
"People are always coming to hang out" at the Cook Commons office, said Cook Commons Resident Adviser Jess Horner.
The Cook Commons office is smaller than Wonnacott's office, which shares the same roof. However, it maintains a cleaner, less cluttered appearance than its neighbor.
The candy bowl was freshly filled, although the size of the bars were only the "fun size" Halloween variety.
The candy size is redeemed, however, by the office's coffee table, which touts some serious press: Rolling Stone, Glamour and Lucky were among the publications not found anywhere else. The Quidditch Cup resides in the Commons office, although set atop a filing cabinet behind a door, the cup does not seem to be a point of pride for the Commons.
"This is what the office is all about," says Horner, proudly displaying Polaroid photographs of Israel Carr '09 and Noah Feder '09 donning humorous outfits in flattering poses. Small, but full of students even during lunch, Cook Commons does the best with a small space.
Rating: 4 out of 5

Ross
Deep in the basement of the sprawling Ross commons compound, lies the inconspicuous Ross Commons office.
"Sure, now he comes, when we haven't been to Costco in a while," says Ross Commons Coordinator Sue Harris. It is true, the Ross Commons office lacks candy. In fact, the only candy available was individually wrapped white lifesavers and a bowl of gummy bears deep within the confines of Harris' office. The magazine selection is interesting, comprised of Entertainment Weekly, People and Buddhism Today. Most impressive was the office's conference room, which was massive.
"Dean of the College Tim Spears holds a lot of meetings here," Harris noted.
Rating: 1.5 out of 5

Wonnacott
Wonnacott suffers from a lack of space, and its conference room, chill space and work space are all spread over a few square feet of couches. However, the Wonnacott Commons office fights back with some serious amenities.
"Brenda makes delightful cookies," says Keith Groggy '10, manning the desk while Brenda Fizur, Wonnacott Commons coordinator, is at lunch. That's right, Fizur makes homemade cookies. Everyday. True to Groggy's word, the cookies were delightful. If for some reason homemade cookies turn you off, Wonnacott scores major points with boxes of Girl Scout Cookies placed enticingly on the coffee table.
Wonnacott also has the only fish tank found in any Commons office, and unlike the other commons offices, Wonnacott had a board game match in progress (Connect Four). Although very small, this office exudes the feeling of home.
Rating: 2 out of 5