The biggest night...

Cook: Moving on up to the east side...

... at St. Ed's. Yes, the biggest night at St. Ed's is Room Picks Night. Every returning Stedsmen has the opportunity to pick his room for the upcoming year. How does this happen? Arm wrestling? Staring contests? Feats of strengths? No. Lottery pick numbers. Thanks to an algorithm at the Office of Housing, randomly generated lottery list are produced, giving each resident a number... and picks are based off that number. Rising seniors go first, followed by rising juniors, and then, last but not least, rising sophomores were at the end. Again, regardless of one's lottery number, everyone's a winner... because every room at Steds is better than any and all rooms elsewhere on campus! But... there had to be a gentleman who would get to go first in this excitement filled evening and this honor fell to James Cook. 

On being first to select a room, this rising senior, resident Californian, and new manager of Ed's for next year, shared, "When I learned that I would have the first room pick, I was honored and humbled. Participating in the hallowed rituals of room selection is a privilege that I will remember for all my life. 

This is an achievement that I could not have done alone; there are so many people that I would like to thank. I would like to thank not only God, but also Jesus, St. Edward, the big man himself, Fr. Ralph and the Hall staff for their fearless leadership, all those who donated for ND Day for their generosity, my fellow genteel Stedsmen, my house plants, and last but not least, my parents—Look ma! I made it! 

The experience was one that I will truly relish. I don’t want to be presumptuous and say that history was made, but I would certainly not be surprised if this year’s room picks was featured in all the textbooks."

Queue music...

What room did Cook choose? A room that the rector would love to make his office! Room 301, a single with windows on the east and south sides of the room... what more could you ask for?!

BUT WAIT... THERE'S MORE...

Here's the next installment... In the Red Room... a Hall podcast bringing you the life and times of Notre Dame's oldest and most storied residence hall, St. Edward's, from, well, you guessed it... the Red Room at St. Ed's. To listen, click HERE.