Isadora Kron and Tara Weil
“Close proximity was really the defining experience of my year. You can’t help but get close to each other.”
Organization, or the lack of it, was an early sign that Bancroft Hall roommates Isadora Kron ’19 and Tara Weil ’19 would get along. Both are messy, Tara says, “but it works. The biggest problem is when other people come in.” The two arrived with different perspectives and backgrounds: Isadora from Miami, Tara from Chicago. Tara, familiar with boarding school life, was eager to live in such an “atmosphere of trust.” Isadora feared leaving her family, describing her Exeter decision as “a leap of faith.” But when the two chat about their experiences of dorm life, they laugh, adopt similar gestures, even finish each other’s sentences. In animated voices, they share discoveries and advice about communal living at Exeter:
You'll have awkward moments.
“I love hugging people,” says Isadora. “I guess Tara’s not [into it]. I didn’t know that.”
Tara walked into the room after volleyball preseason practice when they were first living together. “I was hot and sweaty,” she says.
“I go in for the hug,” says Isadora. “It was very awkward, but I’m never going to forget it.”
“I’ve gotten better at hugging people,” laughs Tara.
You’ll realize you haven’t thought everything through, including decorating.
Early in her prep year, Isadora came back from the Democratic Club, her arms full of Bernie Sanders posters. As she neared their room, she suddenly panicked: she hadn’t discussed politics with Tara.
Luckily, she didn’t have to worry. Tara likes the posters as much as she does.
You can sniff out group bonding.
Where the food is, the roommates explain, you’ll find dorm peers to befriend. Someone, they agree, will always want a snack break the same time you do.
Food is the center of dorm gatherings, when peers watch movies together, go to the beach, make each other mugs or plan a party, like Tara’s for Principal’s Day, which involved toasting the year with sparkling apple juice, pizza, and chips on this surprise day off in spring.
The roommates admit that such easy bonding wasn’t immediate: Those used to being at the top of their classes in previous schools initially tried to impress, but that changed as all the dorm mates got to know each other.
“Close proximity was really the defining experience of my year,” says Isadora. “You can’t help but get close to each other.”
Tara agrees, “You can strike up a conversation with everyone.” And, of course, grab a snack.
You’ll share much with your roommate, including differences.
The two describe favorite moments with each other — late nights when they were just laughing. “We can always talk about everything,” says Tara. Both are athletes and lovers of “Sherlock.” Isadora, co-head of the school’s student-run Culinary Association, can discuss the best follow-up to a meal with Tara, a member of the Baking Club. They love English and history classes and adore books.
But they’re not as in sync in habits as they are in hobbies or conversation. “We have different enough nighttime cycles,” says Isadora. “I get up a lot earlier.”
“I feel like waking her up some nights,” Tara confesses.
Dorm life can relieve your stress.
The two gush about the dorm faculty who support them, especially English Instructor and Director of Studies Brooks Moriarty. “He goes with the flow,” explains Isadora, who praises his skill in calming student worries.
Faculty advisers also check Tara’s eagerness, which can lead her to overcommit herself: She has to mentally go through each day of the week to remember all of her activities. Isadora helps Tara too. Roommates hold you accountable for not going to extremes, Tara explains. Isadora remembers times when she was stressed, and Tara walked her through each day, how to break down the tasks. Before long, she returned the favor for Tara.
You’ll miss the dorm when you’re home.
Tara and Isadora are living together again during their lower year and are already planning beach and bowling trips. The two girls miss each other and their dorm friends during trips home. “Sleeping is not a problem,” says Tara. “It’s when you’re awake.”
“Not being able to walk two steps down the hall and say, ‘Let’s go to Stillwells [for ice cream],’ ” adds Isadora. “Not being a quarter-mile from all of your friends.” That easy access to such a close-knit group of peers is difficult to replicate off campus, and why the girls look forward to another year of dorm bonding.
