Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

If I live in the Co-op, do I, like, have to cook for everyone?

No, not if you don't want to.

So then, what do I have to do?

The co-op works on a points system where each cooper signs up to do a certain number of points every two weeks. For example instead of cooking, you could get points by cleaning dishes, doing the pots, or sweeping the halls.

Where is the Co-op? Aren't you really far away?

We're halfway between Harvard Square and Porter Square on Mass. Ave., a bit closer to campus than the Quad. Hey, we're even closer to the Science Center than either Mather or Dunster.

Wait, so you're the Center for High Energy Meta-Physics?

Yup.

So what does it stand for? Why the funny name?

Think about the initials.

Is the Co-op on-campus or off-campus housing?

Technically we are on-campus housing, but practically we are off-campus housing. Basically, we have the best of both worlds.

What are the rooms like?

Some people say that Cabot House has the best senior rooms, but I'd have to disagree. We live in Victorian Houses, and Victorian Houses are really nice. I mean Teddy Roosevelt and Henry Cabot Lodge both slept here when it used to be a B&B, and they couldn't have been sleeping in cramped quaters could they? One of the rooms here is called the "football field" because it's sooo big. Many rooms have fireplaces. Most of the rooms are singles, but we also have four doubles. Don't be put off by the thought of doubles, though, because these are really nice -- only one is a one room double (and it is enormous), and all the others are two or three room doubles

Do you have ethernet?

Yes, we are part of the Harvard ethernet system as well as the phone system. The house on 3 Sacramento also has wireless.

Can I eat meat there?

Yes, you can have and cook meat (I just cooked a big porter house steak ...mmmmmmm...). However, communal meals are usually vegetarian with vegan and/or gluten-free options.

What's the Free Pile?

Ahhh, the free pile. Where to begin? The free pile is where you put all that stuff that you don't want any more, but other people might. It is where I get all my clothing. It is where I got my speakers, my CD player, CD's to play in my CD player, and my marbles, which evidently someone decided to give away, though I don't know why.

Can I have pets if I live there?

Yes, we allow pets in 1705 Mass. Ave, one of our two houses. Right now two dogs live there (along with some 14 people...). The other house, 3 Sac, is pet-free (well, "furry pet"-free, we did use to have a bath tub full of fish, who were tragically lost in an accident involving Simple Green), so people with allergies don't have to worry.

What are the other perks of living in the Co-op?

We are about $3000/year cheaper than living in the houses. We have free parking (which is nothing to scoff at in Cambridge), free laundry, all the perks of being part of Dudley house, good home-cooked meals, many bourgie organic foods, and fresh baked bread every day. We are environmentally conscious and compost our waste. And we consist of cool diverse people in a relaxed non-institutional atmosphere.

Why don't I live there?

I don't know. Why don't you?

Can I live in the co-op over the summer?

Maybe. To live in the co-op over the summer, you must be a current Harvard student or have graduated this spring (i.e. No Jan. grads). Coopers can take roommates if they are living in a double room, but incoming summer newbies cannot do this. The rule is: one person per room and no long term friends or subletting allowed. Room costs about $1000 for the whole summer, and board's something like $400. And no, you can't pay half the rent if you're only here for half the summer. Email Tutor Amanda Green after midnight on 4/1 and she will put you on the waitlist.

Alumni questions

So, are you gonna make an alumni database already?

Okay, okay, we're working on it. Right now it's not on-line, but hopefully soon it will.

What's happening with the newsletter?

Weeelll... not really anthing. If you'd like to help resurrect it please email us at dudcoop@hcs.harvard.edu.

Compiled and written by Hana Takusagawa 3/02, modified by Han Yu 2/05.

Kitchen Questions
(borrowed and modified from the Enchanted Broccoli Forest web page at Stanford)

People tell me that the sanitizer is not a dishwasher, but I don't believe them, because it seems so unmistakably dishwasherlike.

Things are not always as they seem. The Sanitizer (or Hobart) kills people's germs by briefly blasting the dishes with very very hot water. This does not mean it washes your dishes. In fact, if you leave food on your dishes and sanitize them, the food petrifies and is virtually impossible to remove. On the bright side, you don't have to sanitize pots and pans, Tupperware, graters, or measuring cups unless you ate off them. In short: WASH EVERYTHING you use; only sanitize things you ate with.

How can I make my pasta water boil faster?

You can start with hot water, although recently we heard that it leaches heavy metals into the water. If you don't start with hot water, you should put the water on by 3 or so, and make sure to cover it. Really, it takes that long. If it gets to be about 5:20 and your water still isn't boiling, pour it into one of those deep rectangular baking pans and put it over 2 burners of the stove. You probably won't be able to fit all the water in there, so just use whatever fits. Cover it. It should boil within about 15 minutes. And of course, don't watch the pot or it will never boil!

Who makes the kitchen so messy?

Demons. (Also people who don't make absolutely sure they put all their stuff away.)

How can we prevent the messy people from destroying our kitchen with their filth?

If you see someone leaving stuff around the kitchen, you can say, "Are you done with this?" and start putting it away. This should make them scurry to help, and if they don't, at least it's a little cleaner. It's good to get in the habit of putting away one or two things for other people while you're cleaning up your own stuff, even when they would probably clean it eventually. It is friendly and it also helps people realize that someone does notice the stuff they leave out. Don't hate people who need this extra reminder, or you will soon be very bitter and angry.

Why shouldn't I hate people who make a mess in the kitchen that I have to clean up?

Most people mean to put their stuff away, but don't for various reasons. Besides the obvious (forgetfulness, laziness, drunken stupor), there are gray areas in cleaning responsibility, which can lead to messy areas in the kitchen. A few examples: If someone gets out the cream cheese and someone else uses it afterwards, who puts it away? (The last person who uses it, otherwise the first person will be waiting in the kitchen all morning). If someone bakes brownies for the house and then goes away before they are all gone, who has to wash the pan? The last brownie eater or the baker? (Ideally the brownie finisher would, but if that doesn't happen, it's the baker's responsibility.) And how many dishes does a Hobart rack really hold before you have to get out a new one? (Just get a new one out already. It's not that hard.)

Why can't I put metal cans or containers in the fridge?

Because the Health Inspector said so. The question of whether or not we will really all get botulism and die a gruesome death is interesting and has been hotly debated, but don't let a dissenting opinion influence your behavior. Whether or not our lives are at stake, we are sure to be fined if we don't store things properly.

Where do all the spoons (forks, cups, bowls) go?

To people's rooms. Much silverware is also sacrificed to the garbage disposal, which is why you should always stick your hand down the garbage disposal and see if there is silverware in there before you run it.