Tufts Blogs

One of the biggest reasons I wanted to come to Tufts was special interest housing—specifically the opportunity to live in a house with all queer, trans, and nonbinary people, or to live in a house where residents only speak Spanish. They both sounded like amazing ways to meet new people and live in a community with others similar to me or with similar interests. In my sophomore year, I applied to both Q’munity House (formerly Rainbow House) and Spanish Language House and finally decided to live in Q’munity House. It is truly one of the best decisions I’ve made for myself since starting college: the community this house fosters is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced—and the beautiful thing is that every special interest house at Tufts seems to have that effect. 

From the first day we all met, we couldn't stop cracking up and our conversations lasted for hours (they still do—I tend to go to bed way too late because I can’t take myself out of our riveting conversations about the most niche and varied topics). We could hardly get through our introductions because everyone was so excited to be a part of the conversation and get to know each other. It was immediately clear that we were all there to have a great time, help each other out, care for each other, support one another, and keep each other laughing. My first weeks were filled with cooking and baking nights, shopping trips, movies and video games, Davis Square outings, ice cream runs, and so much more. Out of everything we’ve done since moving in together, my favorite way to spend time with my housemates is when we all come together to cook or bake for the group. The process of getting the food prepared and on the table is always fun, chaotic, and hilarious, and sitting down to eat with everyone really does make the house feel like a family. The photo above comes from our first “arepa night” of many, when we made arepas with beans, vegan ground beef, vegan cheese, and plantains (yum!). I had no idea what I was doing because I had never fried plantains before—or fried anything, really—but my housemates walked me through it and they came out perfectly.

But real talk, finding your community when you’re so far from home can be really daunting. Before college, I was worried about what it would mean to go to a predominantly white institution as a person of color, and what it would mean to explore my queerness and gender identity in an unfamiliar environment. This is partially why Tufts appealed to me so much: the presence of so many special interest housing options and the opportunity to start your own special interest house if you think one is missing indicated to me that there is a big effort on campus to help students of all backgrounds and identities find their community. I have really strong roots in my hometown so starting fresh in a new place was a difficult transition for me, but since coming to live in Q’munity House I have found the community I was looking for after leaving home, and I know so many of my housemates feel the same. I really do love the people I live with and I’m reminded constantly of how much of a family we really are. I have never felt happier and more like my authentic self. Q’munity House has had a massive impact on my college experience and it's the kind of community you never leave, even as people graduate and move on. I will truly miss these people so much and I’m eternally grateful for the year I’ve had with them—but I can’t wait to meet my new Q’munity housemates next year!

Here is the full list of special interesting housing options currently available:

• Arts Haus
• Spanish Language House
• Chinese Language & Culture House
• Crafts House
• International House
• FIRST House
• La Casa Latina
• Q’munity House
• German Language House
• Asian American House
• Capen House (above the Africana Center)
• Ethnomusic House
• Francophone House
• Green House
• The HIVE
• Japanese Language House
• Muslim House
• Neurodivergent House
• Russian/Slavic & Central Asian Culture House
• Jewish Culture House