Sherman Ave Freshman Guide: Living in Bobb

Not pictured: Gameday Morning Shots

HEY PARTY PEOPLE! For all the Wildkittens lucky enough to see “Bobb” or “McCulloch” on their housing assignment: congratulations and welcum to the good life.

Every freshman experiences a whirlwind of emotions when they get their housing assignment (Ayers CCI? Well that’s some shit). Regardless of whether or not you wanted to live in Bobb, you’re probably familiar with its reputation. So now you’re pissing yourself with excitement or fear. Or both.

Bobb is an acquired taste, and that taste is a sweaty sock that’s been marinated in Skol. I’ll do my best to give you some advice on living in what Northwestern has generously designated “party central.”

Partying: I’m sure you’ve heard, but Bobb is the number one party dorm in the nation. Just like the ‘Cats are the number one basketball team.

Rooms: The rooms are so impractically designed that I think it might actually be the same dickhead who came up with the quarter system. In every corner there’s like this unnecessary protrusion of wall, so that you can’t put any of your furniture right up against it. So there’s this pointless, unusable space between your bed and the wall. UGHGHGHGH I’m getting frustrated all over again just remembering it and it’s been two full years.

Food: You’ll eat in Sargent, along with all the Sargent, Slivka, and CCI kids. And on the weekends, a flood of unfamiliar Elder kids (very unsettling). But the food is fine; it’s basically the same as all the other dining halls. It will taste really good for exactly one month, and from then on out you will experience diminishing marginal returns with each meal.

Facilities: Honestly, pretty fucking shitty. I think I got the microwave to work all of once my freshman year. Also, the lounge furniture situation is somewhat nonexistent. And the walls are this lovely puke-mustard color. But if you step foot in Elder, you’ll feel like Little Orphan Annie finally leaving the orphanage and entering Daddy Warbucks’ palace for the first time. Because Elder literally glimmers on the inside. I highly suggest making friends in Elder so you can spend your leisure hours there.

Bathrooms: Unspeakable.

Laundry room: See above.

Location: Actually super fly. Tech, the frat quads, SPAC, and Lisa’s Café are all right there. Freshman year, I could be found at one of those four places at any given time. Not necessarily the healthiest lifestyle but #freshmanyear am I right??

Bobb vs. McCulloch: They are the same dorm. You’ll give yourself away as a freshman if you announce that you’re living in “McCulloch.” You will extra give yourself away if you pronounce McCulloch wrong. It’s pronounced Mic-cull-ick. Not McCulloughhhh like some weird German thing.

CAs: Pretty chill. I once did a shot with three of the CAs from my floor. I’m pretty sure we toasted to “reaching across the aisles.”

Making friends: You will make friends. Some will live in Bobb, some won’t. Some hallways in Bobb will get super cliquey, but most won’t. There’s definitely partying, but the reputation is exaggerated. You can find the same level of partying in any of the large dorms, and probably more in Elder. There’s not much of a sense of “dorm identity” like there is in, say, Willard, but you can still find a sense of community within your floor or hall.

Bottom line, no matter what type of person you are you will find things that you like about Bobb. Unless having a working microwave is an absolute deal breaker. Then you’re fucked.