I'm a first year student who is lucky enough to have found himself a pretty serious relationship. While it seems a long way away, I wonder about the House lottery. What's your opinion on couples in blocking groups? Is it too dangerous? How else do we make sure she's not in Eliot while I'm in Cabot?

Thanks,

Baron von Thayer

Let me put things in perspective for you, Baron von Thayer, just for a second, before I address your very legitimate concern. You're 18 or 19 and you've been in this relationship for at most seven weeks. Now tell me: how serious is your relationship? In any case, blocking is a messy process. So is dating. When you put those two things together, you guessed it! A big mess.

If you are still going out in March, when the ever-stressful time of blocking comes around, (and you seem to think that you will be--who am I to doubt you?), your concern is one that every first year couple should consider.

The benefits of blocking together are obvious: you'll be able to be around each other a lot, and you won't have to try hard to spend time with each other. However, in the event that you do break it off sometime during your remaining three years at Harvard, the disadvantages: you'll be around each other a lot. Think carefully. You'll be eating in the same dining hall, drinking at the same parties and going to the same events for three years.

If you are the kind of person who doesn't relate well to people you've dated in the past, as a lot of us are, you definitely don't want to block together. Even if you're the type that can be best friends with your ex (and truly such individuals are available in limited quantities), think twice.

Then think again.

The only possible exception I can see to this rule is the case where you share all your friends and separating would also break up a blocking group. However, if you find yourself trying to create a blocking group where one doesn't naturally occur by fusing her group of friends with your, you're probably going to regret it late for one of two reason. Scenario A: you break up (sad). Scenario B: you end up hating or disliking strongly at leas tone of her friends but have to see that person constantly because you blocked together (annoying and sad).

What if she's in Eliot and you're in Cabot, you say? Let me assure you: Cabot or Currier, as the T-shirts proclaim, is not really closer to Canada. As a Pfoho resident, I would like to allay your fears. I have about five or six close friends in Mather and I see them all the time--two to three times a week minimum. Of course we make the effort to see each other and that is key.

If you live in the Quad and she lives by the River, you're going to end up with less time together, but that doesn't mean less quality time. You'll have to plan your schedules a little more and make time for her. But what you lose in spontaneity, you might gain in enjoying a break from the rest of your life. If you live in the same House, she will be the rest of your life, and there won't by any breaks.

A couple final tips to make this work out (in the event that it does occur, which no one can say for sure until the day before spring break):

Use the shuttle (it is awesome) and learn the number 5-0400 by heart. You can use it to call a special shuttle after regular hours, which is probably when you'll usually be calling anyway. Also learn to love the walk. It's 15 minutes out of your day that you can have totally to yourself. Those 15 minutes are a precious commodity; enjoy them.

In addition, realize that your roommates might not want to see her 24-7, and her roommates might not want to see you 24-7, no matter how much they like both of you. Respect their space and contemplate the value of your own. ***

And now for something completely different.

I don't know if you have seen the ad in the Crimson, but they are offering $100/hour for tickling videos...no nudity required, but there is some clothed bondage. Intersession is coming up and I want to take a cruise...Do you think that I should get tickled for money? Is that "sketch"?

Feelin' Sketchy in Pfoho

Someone is going to pay you to allow yourself to be tied up and videotaped. Think it's "sketchy," to use your word? You do the math.