Rice Cribs: Jones Central keeps it quirky

By Alex Bisberg     8/30/12 7:00pm

 

The next room on this back-to-school journey to find exceptional rooms around campus was located up the Central stairs to Jones 356.

Ben Lewis, a sophomore, greeted me at the stairwell with a welcoming handshake. We ascended the staircase to the third level and walked into his four-man suite. Inside, a few other nonsuite members were comfortably hanging out, and it became immediately evident that this room was a social hub.

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The other suitemates included sophmores Hersh Agrawal, Ethan Ardern and Jess "Stacy" Dalton. Last year, the four lived in neighboring doubles and got along so well they entered the draw for a suite. Since nearly all of the sophomores wanted the central suites, the final decision was made during a heated room draw. These boys drew the long straw.

Quirky posters cover their walls, ranging from Arnold Schwarzenegger to Albert Einstein.

"We went poster crazy," Ardern said.

As a suite tradition, before one of the suitemates takes a shower, they all strike a pose similar to the mighty Schwarzenegger's to remind themselves that they too can someday become governators.

The furnishings are comfortable, with a few couches and a coffee table. Dual mini-refrigerators and a small bar are located near the back of the common room. This same room also boasts an impressive 32-inch TV hooked up to a Wii and Xbox 360. Perched on some worn bookshelves stands a Rubik's cube signed by Erno Rubik himself, a keepsake from Lewis' time on the cube team in high school. Also present are assorted board games and a K'Nex beer pong trebuchet taken from an engineering competition.

While the individual rooms are considerably more austere, they are not without surprises. Nestled under one of the beds lay a little hedgehog named Charlie. He was, unfortunately, very sleepy so he was not in the mood to come out and play.

One more trinket included a toy horse named Spirit, whom Ethan rode for all of Martel's "Don't Mess with Texas" party.

"Its name is Rainbow! I got it," Agrawal said, and an argument quickly ensued.

These men tend to open the room up on most weekends and use it as a social space in conjunction with the Jones president's room. Take some time, meet one of these friendly men and maybe try a new drink; third central will be waiting.

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