Sigma Phi Epsilon - University of Florida

Page 5 Sigma Phi Epsilon Florida Alpha In-House Room Reviews T he fall semester is now in full swing here at the University of Florida, and a few of the brothers at Florida Alpha have generously allowed us to take a glimpse into their lives and rooms. With all in-house brothers moved in and the packages of decorations and furniture slowly trickling to a halt, we decided there was no better way to keep our distinguished alumni and brothers of Sigma Phi Epsilon up to date than by doing some room reviews. I have devised an objective system to not only review rooms, but to also rank them by giving each room a score of 1-10 in five separate categories: decorations, furniture, organization, cleanliness, and general vibe/ambiance. Averaging those scores will provide an overall room rating to bestow the title of Best Room in the House to one or two lucky brothers. This prestigious title comes with the awesome award of bragging rights, something not to be scoffed at when living in a house with 38 of your closest friends. Room 9 – The Stadium: Max Shore '23 and Jack Sonderman '24 Overall Score: 9.02 Coming in at the top spot is The Stadium, occupied by second-year Jack and third-year Max. Room 9 is on the bottom floor with a window that looks out to the courtyard. Walking into this room on any given weekday is as close as one can get to walking into Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on a Saturday afternoon. A massive mural of the Gators 50-yard line extends across the right-side wall and is sure to catch your attention as soon as you walk in. Across from it are two mounted flat-screen TVs sandwiched by blue and green neon gator signs. Underneath the TVs rest two identical speakers that, when synced, bring an energy to this room that could only be rivaled by The Swamp itself. All these features put together would give Buffalo Wild Wings a run for its money as the best spot in town to watch the game. As a bonus, this room is cleaner than a sports bar could ever be. With everything perfectly organized and pristinely cleaned, Max and Jack even kindly ask their guests to remove their shoes before entering to curb unwanted dirt from messing up the floors. If you can't make it to game days in The Swamp, be sure to catch the game in The Stadium—it's the next best thing. Room 11 – Coffee House: Mitch Stevenson '22 Overall Score: 8.86 A close runner-up in our list is Coffee House, the only solo room in our review, occupied by Mitch. This room has a different vibe than that of any other in the house. You can tell Mitch is an older brother in the fraternity by the maturity of his room. With more subtle decorations (that you might find in a dad's mancave), this room is nothing if not classy. A giant tapestry of Times Square immediately catches the eye as you walk through the door. As those eyes wander, they scan over a variety of cool pictures on the walls and stickers on the fridge. Mitch's room is nicely furnished for a homier feel. The mounted TV and floating media stand topped with a soundbar maximize comfort and space. The couch in this room is so comfortable you can almost see new brothers sleeping on it after a long night of studying. Mitch is one of few brothers living in a single this year, and he makes the most out of this extra space by using the extra desk as a coffee bar and pantry. With more space for storage, there is no room for clutter. This room is the embodiment of a fourth-year brother who has matured greatly in his time at SigEp. Room 3 – El Cuba Libre: Andy Arca '24 and Grant Mondejar '24 Overall Score: 8.78 Although this room comes in third on our rankings, it is certainly nothing to thumb your nose at. The flag of Cuba is the first thing that greets you in Room 3, a nice homage to the Cuban roots of these brothers. With hi-tech lights designed to flash in perfect tandem with the beat of any song, this room is incredibly versatile. Brothers can come to this room to hang out and relax, or with the help of some upbeat music, they can enjoy a livelier atmosphere before a night out. Lava lamps, neon signs, and a star projector on the roof come together to make a room that is perfect for any occasion. It is worth noting that this was the cleanest room on our list, and perhaps the cleanest room in the house. Room 5 – Unnamed: Connor Glass '23 and Gavin Ellstrom '24 Overall Score: 8.76 This room is for the boys. It is what every budding fraternity man wishes his room could look like but knows he cannot achieve. You can tell that Connor and Gavin took their time designing and decorating this room by the subtle details that bring it all together. Soft night-mode lightstrips hang overhead, perfect for when the brothers need to relax and get away from the craziness. Speaking of relaxation, the largest and most comfortable couch in the house resides in this room. It is perfect for hanging out and talking with brothers about classes and weekend festivities while also being large enough to sleep any normal-sized man. Opposite the couch and behind the TV is a floor-to-ceiling chalkboard bearing the signatures of other brothers and the Pittsburgh Steelers season schedule. (I have a feeling Connor will be writing more W's than L's on that schedule as the season progresses.) All in all, this room has a fun vibe that is perfect for the SigEp house. Side note: A golden monkey rests on a floating shelf in this room, waiting to be captured in a game that the in-house brothers of Florida Alpha have come up with and cleverly named "Steal the Monkey." Room 1 – The Clubhouse: Josh Jackson '24 and Austin Erickson '24 Overall Score: 7.75 Bringing up the rear is Room 1, the fifth and final room in our review. Although it came in last place, many of the brothers of Florida Alpha spend the majority of their time here. I have spent many hours in The Clubhouse playing the golf simulator or cutting up with friends, much like the real clubhouse at my favorite course back home. That is likely because of the brothers who occupy it. Josh and Austin have a clear open-door policy that applies to new members and seasoned Chapter veterans alike. This policy has made their room a de facto hangout spot as well as a safe space where many deep conversations are shared between brothers. The room itself is very nice but suffers from the harsh overhead lights and lack of fun and interesting decorations we've seen in the other rooms. If you were to compare this room to any dorm or other on-campus living, it would surely blow it out of the water, but when put next to the undeniably best rooms in the Chapter House, it just can't compete. However, there is an intangible aspect that brothers Josh and Austin bring to The Clubhouse that makes it one of my favorites in the house. I hope that you had as much fun reading the reviews as I did writing them. It was a great way to bond with brothers and give back to the Chapter by giving our alumni a peek inside the house. We are all looking forward to another successful and fun year at Florida Alpha! Fraternally, Cole Greenwood '22

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