Cribz: 1008 High St. is more than just a house

If you were to ask anyone who has attended Grinnell what the most infamous street is, most would answer High Street. Countless Grinnell students have made their way down High Street at one point or another. On Saturday nights, loud music, flashing lights and drunk college students fill this small street. And one house in particular is known for its parties: 1008. At Grinnell, this number has become synonymous with a good time for all students. Adorned with Bernie Sanders signs and a coffin on the front porch, this house is known for some of Grinnell’s wildest party stories. The S&B spoke with some of the residents of the house about parties, school and living with your friends. Due to the salacious content covered, all residents have asked to remain anonymous for the interview.

“I’m really happy living in the house,” said one resident. “It’s a good vibe to live here with your friends.” Living off campus is not uncommon at Grinnell, but the number of students who do so is limited. To live off campus, one must be at least a third year and apply for permission.

“Living off campus is different from living in dorms. There’s always someone to chill with inside the house.” For the most part, the residents of the house do everyday college things. They work on homework, make meals and watch TV together. Occasionally though, this normally tidy and well-kept house turns into a gathering place for students looking to have fun.

“It takes around three hours to set up for a party,” another resident said. The process of setting up for parties is not too complicated. Essentially, most furniture is moved out of the living and dining rooms. It is stored in a safe place where it can’t be broken. A small table is set up for holding beverages for the party. In a short while, the lights are off, the speakers’ volume is set to the max and the party begins.

The hosts could not be happier. “We love hosting parties.” On Saturday, Sept. 10, the residents decided to host an impromptu party.

“We’re very spontaneous,” a resident said. “We saw no one else was hosting so we decided to host one that day.” All the residents love to host but are taking a couple of weeks off from doing so. After all, hosting multiple parties in the span of a few weeks is not only tiring but expensive.

“It costs a significant amount of money to host a party,” said one resident. To offset the costs associated with hosting a party, the residents ask patrons to Venmo them some money in order to help pay for the event. This system is imperfect as not everyone who attends pays, leaving the hosts in a deficit.

Occasionally at parties, some unexpected costs arise. For example, the residents of the house claimed that at the party on the 10th, their sofa was completely destroyed. The S&B verified this claim, and upon thorough inspection can say that the sofa was indeed destroyed. Moreover, cleaning up after the parties normally takes hours.

“Clean-up takes much longer than set up,” explained one resident. “We have to clean up the inside of the house as well as the lawn outside.” Clean-up normally consists of picking up trash, mopping the floors and putting furniture back in place. Yet it’s not always so simple.

“This week we had to clean jungle juice from the ceiling. It was difficult,” said one resident.

1008 High St. is home to many unique sights for partygoers. A coffin is on the front porch, signed by those who come to the house. Along with this, the most prized possession of the house is a painting that is passed down from year to year. On the back of the painting are the names of the previous residents, dating back to 2004. This painting is an important part of the house’s history and must be kept within the confines of 1008.

All in all, 1008 High St. is more than a house. It encapsulates the spirit of Grinnell: community, academics and friendship. The residents of the house all pursue diverse fields of majors, ranging from biology to economics. Of course, they do their best to support Grinnell College ideals at their parties.

“Parties should be fun, but they should also be safe,” one resident said. Most importantly, all the residents agreed that parties “should be inclusive for everyone. Everyone is welcome here.”