This piece is entirely satirical as a part our April Fool’s edition, the Trinibonian.
This year, Trinity’s Residential Life office made some significant alterations to the City Vista apartment selection process. The controversial changes will culminate in a newly announced “Survivor” style competition game in which rising juniors and seniors must participate for a chance to live in the highly sought-after apartments.
Residential Life has already revealed some challenges of the month-long competition. Balancing challenges, eating competitions, and a vertical maze obstacle course will be offered as opportunities to advance in registration time placements. Penelope Swallow, junior communication major, spoke to their feelings of anxious anticipation for the competition.
“I am trying to prepare for everything that could happen, all the possibilities. I’ve been spending the past couple of weeks talking to my suite, but also others, to see if I can make alliances in a way that can be ideal for the most amount of people, but also makes sure I have a role. I feel like I’ll be great at the freaky eating challenges, but I’m worried about the fraternity teams because I know they’ll be really good at persevering in the gross conditions,” Swallow said.
Identifying strategic teams and gameplay is important for the “Survivor” housing campaigns. Specific challenges will match to certain room accommodations and placements, although they are not disclosed beforehand.
Rick Chile, sophomore business major, shared his thoughts about entering the competition as a student going abroad in the fall.
“I’ve heard all this talk about needing the person who will take my place to pass through the slingshot and trivia challenge. Our team has been getting all our information through rumors, really. I think that’s pretty normal, so I’m not worried about that part, just facing the snakes in the second round,” Chile said.
While many students have expressed confusion about the game, Whatsgogh Inonn, Residential Life office employee, emphasized the goal of increasing the effectiveness of the housing process to determine who has earned a place in City Vista.
“I really think students just need to trust the process! Everyone at the office is fairly confident that all the students will be accounted for and placed in housing. We chose to pursue a ‘Survivor’ competition this year because we wanted a better way to decide who deserved the apartments more,” Inonn said. “The three-year residential requirement is a big part of the Trinity culture here, and the exciting Survivor game fits right in with that energy. I think students really have to want to be here to decide to participate.”
The gamified competition seems to feed on another rivalry between rising juniors and seniors regarding the residential requirement. Selsi Domingo, sophomore urban studies major, discussed the politics of participation in the City Vista Survivor.
“Us rising juniors are still required to choose between the dorms and City Vista, while the rising seniors don’t have to live in university housing at all! That’s what I don’t understand about the participating rising senior teams, they can live anywhere else, and I think it’s seriously masochistic. We are either planning on voting them out first, or taking them out through medical evacuation in the knife jumping round, hopefully,” Domingo said.
After the announcement of the rapidly approaching City Vista Survivor competition, students made quick moves to plan for their housing next year. The game is set to involve 1,500 students, including roommate and suite teams among the individuals entering.
