Riepe named top party dorm

Looking for a party this weekend? One website says to look no further than Riepe College House.

Earlier this month, CampusSplash.com’s Dormy Awards ranked Riepe at the top of its list of “Biggest Party Dorms” in the United States, in a three-way tie with dorms at Indiana University-Bloomington and Winona State University.

Riepe received a perfect five out of five in its social life and party scene in results from an online survey. The rankings were compiled through roughly 7,000 dorm reviews from students across the country.

While some would expect a mostly freshman-filled dorm in the Quadrangle — home to New Student Orientation attendees and various Spring Fling events — to be a mecca for wild parties, Riepe residents were surprised by the distinction of living in one of America’s top party dorms.

“My hall is definitely not a party hall,” College freshman Lindsey Lansky said of her residence, which is comprised of a mix of freshmen and sophomores. “People pre-game … but the rooms are probably way too small to have a big party.”

“I have been to a lot of pre-games and get togethers, but definitely no real parties,” said one College freshman, who wished to remain anonymous because he is under the legal drinking age. He said Riepe is “not really conducive to parties” because students may be penalized by residential advisors for drinking in an obvious manner.

“I don’t think there are many dorms on Penn’s campus that I would consider party dorms in any real sense of the word,” he added.

Riepe House Dean and Anthropology professor Marilynne Diggs-Thompson said while her College House is certainly social, Riepe likely has the lowest rate of party-related write-ups of the three Quad residences.

She added that Ware College House traditionally has the reputation of being the Quad’s “party dorm.”

When she and other residents found out Riepe had made the distinction, “we had a good time laughing about it,” she said. “We took it tongue-in-cheek.”

“I was really happy and kind of surprised to see Riepe on that list,” College freshman Isabel Oliveras wrote in an e-mail. “The house itself is really social. Most people leave their doors open all the time, and some halls — like Warwick — are always bustling, even at 3 a.m.”

As a Graduate Advisor in Riepe, Graduate School of Education student Karim Assous said he has seen his “fair share of drinking and vandalism.” However, he explained the house’s sense of community is a quality “you might not find anywhere else.”

Diggs-Thompson agreed that community seems to be one of the best parts of living in Riepe for most residents.

Oliveras added that most halls she knows of seem to be tight-knit. “There are small groups of people in rooms all the time.”

Additionally, Diggs-Thompson said an abundance of events with food regularly draw residents together. Every Wednesday, Riepe Faculty Master Dennis DeTurck, who also serves as Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, hosts study breaks with freshly baked cookies — inviting students to his apartment with an e-mail titled “Got milk?”

Riepe is also home to the Grotto convenience store, which Diggs-Thompson said attracts “tons of people just hanging out” even late at night.

Regardless of the party-dorm distinction, “it’s definitely a social place,” Assous added.

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