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The [[Berkshire Quad]], more commonly known as the "Odd Quad," is a quad in the southeast part of campus, next to [[Route 2]] and between [[WCMA]] and the [[Spencer Studio Art Building]]. It is surrounded by [[East College]] and [[Fayerweather Hall]] on the west, [[Currier Hall]] and [[Fitch House]] on the east, and [[Prospect House]] on the south, as well as the [[Hopkins Observatory]] on the north, next to [[Route 2]]. All of the dorms are upperclassman dorms, although East and Fay used to be freshman dorms (prior to the start of the 2006-2007 school year).
How the Odd Quad got its name is a mystery shrouded by time. In the 1970s it was known as the Sophomore Quad. Some (e.g., some campus [[tour guide]]s) say the moniker "Odd" arose simply due to having five dormitories (''i.e.'' an odd number). Others suspect it has more to do with the nature of the inhabitants, as the Odd Quad tends to be home to the campus's largest collection of freaks, geeks, nerds, and people who generally consider themselves to part of a Williams subculture of oddness. If you brought a cape to college "just in case," you're likely to fit in well there. (Cape-wearers are still a minority, but a slightly more visible one in this quad than elsewhere on campus.)There also tend to be a higher percentage of unicycle riders, [[WUFO]] players, and other such gems of the Williams College campus. However, because of the newly instated Cluster system, the Currier Cluster (aka the Odd-Quad) has, sadly, decreased its numbers of so-called "freaks" and set the ground work for a new era of Odd-Quadder, one that unites all the different walks of life, transportation, and clothing (cape) preference on campus.
Odd Quadders tend to eat their meals in [[Driscoll Dining Hall|Driscoll]](aka the Dirty D), the most convenient [[Dining Halls|dining hall]], located just off the southeast corner of the quad, next to [[Fitch]] and [[Prospect]]. Driscoll was known a few years ago for the [[Driscoll Deviations]], a popular series of [[pranks]] pulled during dinners by a large group of students that named themselves the [[Deviants]], after their own practice.
Some of the best features of the Odd Quad are the [[Currier ballroom]], which features arguably the best (if the most [[beers|beer]]-soaked) [[pianos|piano]] on campus outside of the [[Bernhard Music Center|music building]]; the roof of the observatory, which has a truly lovely view; and the perfect-for-snowball-fights [[Eyes sculpture]] located on the western side of East, in front of the [[Williams College Museum of Art]].
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