Woe is housing; woe is me.

Dear Columbia Housing,

First, I would like to thank you for examining my lottery number, placing me on the waitlist, and for reevaluating my materials. I am an undergraduate student at Columbia College of Columbia University in the City of New York and hopeful resident in Columbia housing next year. Though I was deferred during the online selection pool, I remain absolutely convinced that Columbia dorms are the housing for me. Columbia housing is my top choice, and if admitted, I would be delighted to enroll in the fall housing cohort and continue living at your university for my remaining semesters. I am writing this letter to demonstrate my continued interest and update you on recent achievements, including my accomplishment of living with the highest honors.

This past weekend, I got the opportunity to spend some time in Columbia University residence halls as a part of being an undergraduate student at your honorable institution. Speaking with current Columbia students who did get housing during online selection made me realize more than ever before that I was with my people and in my environment—warm, incredibly funny, artistic in their own way, and unabashedly inquisitive. They laughed, and I laughed with them. They slept, and I craved the warm, slapping, embrace of the twin-XL mattresses. This weekend, I was where I belonged.

But they had housing assignments, and I did not. When I was with them, the John Jayish jokes were the cherry on top of the Wallachly wholesome interactions that lit the flicking Furnaldic flame of housing inside of my Carman clad Hartley heart. Despite everything, I am hopeful. I am energized for East Campus, wonderstruck by Wien, and happy for Hogan.

My whole life I have worked to draw connections and bridge the gap between science, social justice, and art. Whether wandering through Furnald Hall, bringing together feuding athletes and indies in Carman Hall, or listening to John Jay residents flex their housing assignment, I know that no community will help me flourish quite like Columbia Housing’s would. I know that there is nowhere else I’d rather create the future by sleeping in my future.

I would also like to take this time to briefly tell the housing department about a few things that have happened since I submitted my Housing Waitlist application. First, I wrote, illustrated, and published a Literature Humanities project centered around Song of Solomon, with all work going towards supporting the core curriculum development and my own educational pursuits, goals I’ve been achieving for the past few decades years that focuses on doing the best I can through art and education. I’ve attached a copy of this in the mail, along with some other information, that you should be receiving soon. I very much believe the magic of reading is magnified with heavy annotation and seeing in its physical form (and I think my professor would agree).

Secondly, I’d like to add the following honors to my Housing file:

• Best Resident, awarded by myself but my residence hall director would agree.
• Best Roommate, also awarded by myself but I haven’t ever fought with my roommate.
• I reported a broken dryer to Hartley Hospitality IMMEDIATELY after discovering it.
• I helped my friends decided on their housing when their lottery number preceded mine.
• My RA has had no complaints with me that I know of.

Again, thank you for taking the time to reevaluate my application. Please let me know if there’s anything else I can provide.

Best,

Housing Buildings via Bwarchives