Weekends at Webb are never the same. From late-night cooking in the South Hutch lounge to the annual pig roast on Alamo lawn, Webb’s dorm culture is as diverse and exhilarating as the students who live there. In this article, we’ll go dorm by dorm, uncovering the norms, quirks, and traditions that make each dorm feel like home.  

Jameson

Out of every dorm at Webb, Jameson is truly the one that stands out—literally. As the only exterior girls’ dorm made up entirely of singles, Jameson residents experience a unique balance of privacy and community. However, Jameson is far from quiet. Once an all-boys’ dorm, it has since become all-girls’ dorm for mostly upperclassmen. Jameson’s dorm culture reflects a mix of maturity and energy.  

 “Walk by on any given day, you’ll hear music floating from the quads, bursts of laughter, even an occasional scream,” said Jameson dorm prefect, Sochika Ndibe (‘26).  

What makes Jameson special is that so much of life happens outside: residents sprawl across lower Jameson patio during dorm meetings, while the iconic “Jameson beach” serves as a Sunday tanning and studying spot. Even beyond its outdoor hangouts, the dorm’s true spirit lies in the way residents connect and care for one another—whether celebrating birthdays with sweet treats or talking to friends in the OD room. With its carefree outdoor vibe and independent living style, Jameson radiates a spirit like no other dorm at Webb. 

Alamo

Having the track record of winning every single Webb Idol, Alamo is known as the dorm with the most spirit. From karaoke and movie nights to grilled cheese at the dorm head Ms. Haleftiras’s house , Alamo residents show up to every event with unmatched energy.    

That energy also fosters a strong sense of familiarity among its residents.  

“Everyone knows each other because it’s an upperclassmen dorm, so the whole dorm is very comfortable for socializing” said Evan Chang (‘26), Alamo dorm prefect. 

Life in Alamo isn’t just about winning, though; the patio and prefect dorms are central hangout spots whether games, late-night conversations, and the iconic annual pig roast. Arguably “the best dorm on campus” according to every Alamo resident, its tight-knit, spirited community makes this dorm one of the most memorable places to live on campus.   

Appleby 

Life in Appleby, the only girls’ single dorm with freshmen, is taking on a whole new rhythm this year. Once thought to be the symbol of independence at Webb, the Appleby of this year is evolving into an intimate and supportive community.  

 “Others often think that Appleby is just [an exclusive] dorm,” said Emily Shao (‘26), “But this year, because the prefects are new to Appleby, they’re bringing new insights to strengthen the dorm’s community.”   

Walking into Appleby this year, you’ll be greeted by chatter echoing through hallways, people playfully fighting over the Nintendo Switch console, friendly competitions about who’s the best dancer, and “Timber” by Keisha repeatedly blasting through the speakers.  

However, Appleby’s community is more than just chaotic Nintendo nights. The bond of Appleby is also in every single quiet moment of support that is considered the norm. 

 “Earlier this year, we were still struggling to figure out the laundry machine situation,” Hans Zhou, Appleby’s dorm head, said. “Returning upperclassmen were quietly helping the new students, offering to pay for their laundry.”  

 These small gestures are what make Appleby’s community. It’s no longer known as the isolated dorm; it’s a connected community built on kindness. 

Upper Dorms

Holt and Kirkhill 

Holt and Kirkhill are where friends drop in casually throughout the school day to chat, hang around, bond, and have fun. Both dorms consist of a long hallway so residents can visit each other’s rooms frequently.  

“I feel like what makes Holt special is that everyone’s nice and in it together,” said Daniel Cheung (‘28), Holt resident.  

Holt Hall is usually loud, full of people running around and laughing together. On the other hand, Kirkhill is quieter, fostering a mentoring environment.  

“We have a pretty decent amount of freshmen in our dorms and students from every grade,” said Hanzhi Liang (’28), Kirkhill resident. “I think it’s a pretty special community we have here. You can see people from every grade and it’s nice to bond.”  

Holt and Kirkhill residents also hang around a lot in the shared Upper Dorms common room, Ruddick Room.  

“I see a lot of hanging out, playing pool in the Ruddick Room, playing table tennis,” said Yesela Tadeo, Dean of Residential Life and Holt and Kirkhill Dorm Head.  

Dean Tadeo said, “I really appreciate and cherish building relationships with students on more of an individual basis.”  

With their quiet mentorship, Holt and Kirkhill residents wishes to develop a deeper bond with  fellow community members throughout the school year. 

Macleod and Reynolds 

 When taking a first look at the dorms—Macleod and Reynolds—everyone would describe their atmosphere as quiet and isolated. However, despite their isolated first impression, their dorm surprisingly is spirited and close together.  

“I think we’re very close knitted just because it’s a smaller dorm, and we all are pretty much all friends,” said Tobey Ng (‘26), the dorm prefect of Reynolds.  

During their community gatherings, there’s one thing unique to their dorm meetings; it is their signature dorm snack barbeque. As a dorm that actively uses their grill, it became one specialty that makes their dorm unique.  

“Grilling is kind of our signature thing that we do that’s a bit different than other dorms,” said Will Allan, the humanities department faulty and Macleod and Reynolds Dorm Head.  

Their dorm snack consists of all sorts of delicious food that brings the dorm together. Macleod and Reynolds wish to keep their community closely bonded by continuing their dorm snack fest and community bonding at the Ruddick room, as they move forward into this school year. 

Jones

Known for being the cleanest dorm on campus, Jones lives up to its reputation every day. Their dorm heads Dr. Greco and Dr. Dzula always make sure that when they’re doing their rounds, Jones is clean without fail every day. Many describe Jones as cozy because of its smaller size, while others say it simply feels like home.  

“Jones is just like home; the dorm heads Dr. Greco and Dr. Dzula are really caring,” said Nora Mu (‘27), a resident of Jones.  

This welcoming atmosphere is strengthened by the community itself, with a balanced number of students from each grade living in the dorm. Their community is filled with laughter from their common areas or just students hanging out in their own room.  

Jones’s unique architecture also adds to its home-like environment. For example, the iconic large windows bring in plenty of sunlight and offer residents beautiful views.  

“I love my room because it has large windows, and that goes for all the rooms in Jones,” said Sophie Lin (‘26), the head prefect of Jones. With residents forming strong bonds and older students mentoring younger ones and cozy architecture like their large windows, Jones fosters a warm, home-like atmosphere that is truly a home that’s of a kind. 

South Hutch

“Welcome Home,” said Viviana Nicolosi, South Hutch’s dorm head.  

For its residents, South Hutch is more than just a dorm; it’s a home. With three very soft sofas, dim but warm lights, a vending machine, and a TV, South Hutch’s upper lounge is the embodiment of a stereotypical living room. Being located at the heart of the campus, South Hutch has the most accessible lounge. Whether it’s 9 AM on a weekend, during lunch, or even late at night, its lounges are always crowded.  

“A lot of people gather at the lounges,” Luciano Schaefer-Troendle (’26) said, “upstairs is mostly upperclassmen, downstairs is mostly the sophomores, and the freshmen intermingle between the two.”  

In the common room, amidst the chatter reverberating is the smell of food, the sounds of pots being washed, and the frantic screams of people worrying they would set off the fire alarm.  

“There’s always someone cooking in the lounge,” Kano Sugie (‘28) said, “sometimes it’s simple dishes like Indomie noodles or even harder ones like curry.”  

In South Hutch, home isn’t just a word; it’s in the dim light and living room-like arrangement of the lounge, the smell of food, and the comfort of knowing that you are safe to be yourself. It’s a space that grows with its people—it’s a little messy, a little loud, and a whole lot more like a family. 

North Hutch

If you walk into North Hutch on a Friday night you’ll see doors propped open, music drifting down the hallway, and clusters of freshmen piled on top of each other in the lounge. The only WSC all-doubles dorm and commonly known as the “freshmen dorm,” North Hutch has a reputation for its frenetic energy, home-like community, and double rooms that spark friendships. At the heart of it all is dorm head Melissa Mani, Assistant Librarian and Student Programming Liaison, who fills the hallways with the smell of homemade chocolate chip cookies and the warmth of a welcoming smile.  

“My intention of being a dorm head is to have a space where people feel like it’s their own home, and to make it feel welcoming,” said Melissa Mani, Assistant Librarian. 

Her philosophy shapes a North Hutch culture that blends joy with chaos.  

“It’s very chaotic. It’s loud, but I feel like people like that here, so it’s pretty good,.” said Patrick O’Hearn (‘26), North Hutch prefect for two years.  

Being close to the classrooms, the dining hall, and the library, North Hutch has become a social hub for friends to gather after lunch and classes to relax. In the end, what makes North Hutch special isn’t about its location or its doubles—between the noise, the late-night talks, and the shared treats; North Hutch has built a culture of its own—messy, joyful, and homey.