My Commons Life

News & features about the Vanderbilt Commons from the students who live here

Commons Cupdate

Commons Cupdate 4/27

by

West House, Winner of the 2022 Commons Cup

On Sunday evening at the Commons Ball, the moment we have all been waiting for finally arrived: the results of the Commons Cup were announced.

And the winner is …… WEST HOUSE!!!!!!!

After winning three of the five Commons Cup categories, West House is the clear winner to the 2021-2022 Commons Cup. North House has been dethroned by their neighbor across the lawn. I cannot think of a better way for West to finish end their centennial anniversary than by claiming the Commons Cup. Congratulations! This year, West House really was the Best House.

Following West, East took second place. Crawford and Sutherland tied for third.

Winners for the different categories were also announced and are as follows:

Community Involvement – West House

Sustainability – West House

Service – West House

Academics – Crawford House

Athletics – Hank Ingram House

The full placement for each house overall and in the five categories has not been published. The Dean of the Ingram Commons Office declined My Commons Life’s request for comment about these rankings.

This competition has been a wild ride, but all things must come to an end. Congratulations to this year’s victors and best of luck to those getting ready to start their Commons journey in the Class of 2026.

Disclaimer: Daniel Sak, the author of this piece, is the Vice President of Hank Ingram House.

Commons Cupdate 3/30

by

Sutherland Volleyball Team, victors of the Commons Cup Volleyball Tournament (Photo courtesy of Nick Tippenhauer)

Service Week. Volleyball Tournament. The competition coming to an end. Here’s everything you need to know about the latest developments in the Commons Cup.

Service Week

This year’s service, held March 21-25, week focused heavily on sexual assult prevention and awareness. On Monday, Project Safe hosted a self defense workshop. On Wednesday, Project Safe held a panel to discuss sexual assult. Throughout the week, Project Safe also tabled in the Commons Center daily and held lantern decorating events at each house’s signature event.

Volleyball Tournament

On Sunday March 27, all ten Commons houses competed in the Commons Cup Volleyball Tournament. To start off the competition, Sutherland held off Crawford with a 21-17 win. East also defeated North in a close 21-19 win.

The round of eight did not see the same closeness as the play-in did. West beat Murray with a 21-14 victory. Stambaugh then fended off Memorial with a 21-17 win. Sutherland then went on to knock out Gillette with a commanding 21-11 lead. Finally, Hank easily defeated East with a 21-12 win.

In the semifinals, Sutherland defeated West and Hank defeated Stambaugh. Both games were won by margins of 21-14

Unlike the other rounds, the championship was a best out of three series to 15 points. Although Hank won the first game, Sutherland rallied to win the final two and become the volleyball champions.

Podium

1st Place – Sutherland is in it to win it. This house has been playing to win all year and it shows. After many podium placements across different events this year, Sutherland is a major contender to win it all.

2nd Place – Hank is here to play. Like Sutherland, this house has podium placement across a variety of events. This house has been one of the best in athletics, so it is no surprise they made the podium one last time.

Looking Forward

Volleyball was the last major event of the Commons Cup. While the year-long Sustainability Challenge still has a few weeks left in it, the competition is just about over. Although we do not know exactly who will win, there appear to be some front runners. 

There are four houses that have had three or more podium placements (among those tracked in previous Commons Cupdates this year). Crawford placed 3rd during Sustainability Week and Spring Trivia, and the house won the Table Tennis Tournament. West tied for 1st in Kickball and won the Jug decorating contest and Spring Trivia. Sutherland also tied for 1st in Kickball and had wins in Sustainability Week and Spring Trivia. Finally, Hank took 3rd in Kickball; 2nd in Sustainability Week and Volleyball; and won Ultimate Frisbee, Pool, and the Pull Tab Competition.

What we see here may not tell the full story. Houses that consistently miss the podium may have outperformed those that did really well in some events and poorly in others. The Dean of the Ingram Commons Office also keeps the results of certain events and how points are calculated secret. We will just have to wait until the official Commons Cup Announcement to find out for sure.

Commons Cupdate 3/2

by

Commons Cup Trivia Tournament pictured above

West winning trivia. Service Week approaching. Only a few events left. Here’s everything you need to know about the most recent developments in the Commons Cup.

Spring Trivia

The Spring Trivia tournament took place on Sunday February 27 in the Commons MPR. The competition featured all ten houses competing against each other in a battle of knowledge. Houses were allowed to send up to two teams, but only the highest scoring team’s score would be counted. This semester’s questions focused heavily on Pop Culture and Black History with only scant references to science, math, and literature. Due to the wager-style point system and the high difficulty of the questions, all but four of the 14 teams ended the game with a negative score.

Podium

1st Place – West blew away the competition. While most teams struggled to get their point totals above zero, West won with a commanding score of 50 points. This house is, without a doubt, a major contender for the Commons Cup.

2nd Place – Murray is in the game. Coming off their first podium in last week’s table tennis tournament, Murray is back again to reclaim the silver medal. This house may have flown under the radar last semester, but they have certainly fought their way back into view.

3rd Place – Crawford is in it to win it. This are one of only three houses (the other two being West and Hank) to win podium placements across three different categories (for Crawford: Sustainability, Athletics, and Academics). Will they bee the winners this spring?

Looking Ahead

There are only a few more events being held for the Commons Cup. Service Week (details yet to be announced) will be held March 20-27. The Volleyball Tournament will also be held on March 27. Finally, the year long sustainability challenge continues through the end off the year.

Disclaimer: Daniel Sak, the author of this piece, is the Vice President of Hank Ingram House and was a member of the Hank Ingram Trivia Team

Commons Cupdate 2/23

by

The Finalists: Hank and North Pool Teams. (From left to right) Hank’s Xavier Shattuck and Daniel Sak. North’s Jacob Tomas and Marcus Kamen

Crawford’s first victory. Two more wins for Hank. Spring trivia just days away. Here’s everything you need to know about the latest developments in the Commons Cup.

Pull Tab Week

The first service event of the Commons Cup was held February 3rd through 10th. Each house worked to collect pull tabs to give to the Ronald McDonald House. Points were awarded based on the design of the collection jug and the number of tabs collected by the house. West House won the jug decorating contest. Hank House won the pull tab collection portion of the competition.

Table Tennis Tournament

On Sunday February 20th, the table tennis portion of the Indoor Recreation Tournament was held in the Commons Center MPR. The results were as follows:

First Round

  • East defeated West
  • Murray defeated Memorial

Second Round

  • Sutherland defeated Hank
  • Crawford defeated East
  • Murray defeated Gillette
  • Stambaugh advanced automatically (North did not show and therefor forfeited)

Semifinals

  • Crawford defeated Sutherland
  • Murray defeated Stambaugh

Championship

  • Crawford defeated Murray

The Podium

1st Place – Crawford clenched their first victory. Before Sunday, Crawford had not won a single game in athletics, but this house put in the work to go straight from a string of losses to tournament champions. This victory should feel as sweet as honey.

2nd Place – Murray makes their first podium. Like Crawford, this was a house that just could not seem to find the winning formula last semester, but they may have hit their stride in 2022.

3rd Place – Stambaugh is in the game. Following a podium appearance at the last trivia event, Stambaugh makes it back to the podium thanks to a tight game against Murray. I have a feeling they’ll want to be back for more.

Pool

On Sunday February 20th, the pool portion of the Indoor Recreation Tournament was held on the Commons Center main floor. The results were as follows:

First Round

  • East defeated West
  • Memorial defeated Murray

Second Round

  • Hank defeated Sutherland
  • North defeated Stambaugh
  • East defeated Crawford
  • Gillette defeated Memorial

Semifinals

  • Hank defeated East
  • North defeated Gillette

Championship

  • Hank defeated North

Podium

1st Place – Hank is a podium regular. This is Hank’s third win and fifth time on a Commons Cup podium. This house is a serious contender to win it all.

2nd Place – North is back in the game. When this house shows up, they play to win. In every athletic event they have played in, North made it to at least the semifinals. This is a house to watch out for.

Spring Trivia

This Sunday February 27th is the Spring Trivia Tournament. This is the final event for the Academics portion of the Commons Cup. The tournament will take place in the Commons MPR, and attendance will count for Commons Cup Points. If you are interested in playing, contact your house president.

Disclaimer: Daniel Sak, the author of this piece, is the Vice President of Hank Ingram House and was a member of the Hank Ingram Pool Team

Commons Cupdate 2/2

by

The Commons Center, location of the Indoor Recreation and Trivia Tournaments

Pull Tab Competition. Indoor Recreation Tournament. An exciting new semester. Here is everything you need to know about upcoming Commons Cup events.

Pull Tab Competition

To kick off the second semester of the Commons Cup, each house will compete to collect as many aluminum pull tabs as possible. Remove the tabs from your cans of soup, soda (or pop for my fellow Midwesterners), and whatever else may have them, and put them in your house’s decorated jar. The competition will run February 3rd-10th, and points will be awarded based on how well the jar has been decorated and how many pull tabs are collected. At the end of the competition, all pull tabs will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House.

Indoor Recreation Tournament

The first athletic event of the semester will be an Indoor Recreation Tournament. On Sunday February 20, the houses will head to head in pool and table tennis at the Commons Center. As will all athletic events, houses receive points for both gameplay and fan support. If you are interested in competing for your house, contact your house’s vice president for more information.

The Rest of the Semester

Looking forward, there are several more events throughout the semester where you can help the house win the Cup. On February 27th, the second – and final – trivia tournament will take place at the Commons Center. Service Week (more information to be announced at a later time) will take place March 20th-27th. There will also be a Volleyball Tournament on March 27th. Finally, the year-long sustainability competition continues through the end of the semester. Whether your house has yet to win an event or you have won almost every competition, there is still plenty of time for things to change this semester.

Disclaimer: Daniel Sak, the author of this piece, is the Vice President of Hank Ingram House.

Commons Cupdate 11/17

by

Commons Unplugged Victors. Fall Trivia Tournament. The semester nearing its end. Here’s everything you need to know about the Commons Cup as we finish our first semester here at Vanderbilt.

Commons Unplugged Week

October 31st through November 6th, the houses competed against each other to save the most energy. Congratulations to the top three conservationists.

1st Place – Sutherland is in the fight. After a tie with West for the top spot in kickball, Sutherland finally achieved their first solo win. One thing is for sure: this house is not done yet.

2nd Place – Hank is here to stay. This is now the third podium appearance for Common’s largest house – something no other house has yet to do. Hank will be in a great spot going into the latter half of this competition.

3rd Place – Crawford makes their first appearance. After some struggles in the athletic events, Crawford has gotten their name on the board. This should make the the buzz around Commons.

Fall Trivia

On Sunday, all houses met in the Commons Center for a battle of brains. Each house sent two teams (with the exception of East, who only sent one) to compete in a trivia tournament. The following teams placed:

1st Place – East gets a taste of victory. In spite of being the only house to send just one team, East managed to win the whole tournament. While this house is no stranger to the podium, their first gold of the competition should feel nice.

2nd Place – Stambaugh gets in the game. While the beginning of the competition started slow for them, a podium finish in the Trivia event should put Stambaugh back in the game.

3rd Place – Gillette makes a splash. No other house has faced the same set of challenges as this one, yet they have managed to stay afloat. There is just one question moving forward: will they sink or swim?

Final Thoughts

Although there is still some time left in the semester, Trivia was the last fall event for the Commons Cup. Now that we are about half way through the competition, it is a good time to examine how the houses place overall.

First, there appear to be three clear frontrunners: Hank, Sutherland, and East. These are the only three houses to make multiple podium appearances across different categories. However, none of these houses have made every event’s podium (Hank was the longest to hold that title until a loss this past Sunday).

This competition is tight. Eight of the ten houses have at least one podium finish, with a top 3 finish only eluding Murray and Memorial.

Most importantly, much of the information regarding Commons Cup has yet to be released. There is no public information about house performances in the Community Involvement category (making up 20% of the overall scores for the year). There are also ongoing events like the year-long energy conservation which will not be finalized until the end of the year. Finally, there are still plenty of opportunities for the rankings to shift before the end of the year.

So to close my final Commons Cupdate of 2021, I congratulate those who performed well in the first half of this competition and wish the best of luck to every house in the Spring Semester.

*Disclaimer: Daniel Sak, the author of this piece, is the Vice President of Hank Ingram House.

Commons Cupdate 11/3

by

Commons Unplugged Week has begun, several houses have their signature events coming up, and the fall trivia tournament is nearing. This is everything you need to know about the latest developments in the Commons Cup.

Commons Unplugged

On Sunday, Commons Unplugged Week began. This portion of the competition, which runs through Saturday, focuses on sustainability. Each house’s goal is to decrease their energy consumption as much as possible during this week in order to score points for their house. There are also two events this week in which house participation will count towards points: Green Forum and Commons Gardening. On Wednesday night from 7-8PM, the Green Forum – which is a lecture about sustainability – will take place in the Commons Center Multipurpose Room. Gardening will take place on the Commons Center South Patio from 11AM-2PM on Saturday.

House Signature Events

For Commons Cup, each house must hold a special signature event in which participation counts towards Commons Cup points. Here are some of the signature events that have been announced:

November 1st – Gillette hosted a Krispy Kreme night with hot chocolate, cider, tea, and special house merch from 9-10PM.

November 7th – Sutherland will host Suthgiving which includes pie and ice cream, hot cocoa and cider, crafts, and special merch giveaways.

November 10th – Hank will host an ice cream sandwich night with special Baked Bear ice cream sandwiches and other fun activities.

Fall Trivia

The fall trivia tournament will take place Sunday, November 14th from 2-4PM in the Commons Center MPR. Along with the tournament results, house attendance will also count towards Commons Cup points. Contact your house’s president for more information about trivia.

Commons Cupdate 10/13

by

Kickball cut short. No official victor. Commons Unplugged fast approaching. Here’s what you need to know about the latest developments in the Commons Cup.

Kickball Tournament

This past Sunday’s kickball tournament was the most shocking event of this year’s Commons Cup. The ten houses gave everything they had to fight for victory in this second – and final – athletic competition of the Fall Semester. (Don’t worry. There will be more athletic events in the Spring.)

Tournament Overview

The competition began with a fierce battle between Memorial and Gillette that lasted around 40 minutes – twice as long as the standard regulation. Although both teams gave it their all, Memorial edged out in the end with a 6-5 victory. The following game between East and Sutherland was also fought tirelessly, but after a discrepancy regarding the number of outs East had and a subsequent argument with the referees, the game was ended abruptly, handing Sutherland a 6-5 victory.

The second round did not see quite the same level of intensity as the first. It began with West beating Stambaugh 4-2, and was followed by North fending off Murray in a 7-5 victory. The largest story of the second round was the next game between Commons’ largest and smallest houses: Hank and Memorial. Although Memorial was coming off an early win, Hank crushed the house in a decisive 14-2 win. What followed this blowout was the closest game of round two with Sutherland barely holding off Crawford in a tight 6-5 victory.

The semifinals saw a familiar final four to the Ultimate Frisbee Tournament: Hank, North, and West – all semifinalists in ultimate frisbee – were joined by Sutherland to compete for the podium. The first match saw West take an early lead against Hank. While Hank did make a late-game comeback, West maintained the lead, winning in a tight 6-5 victory. The game between North and Sutherland saw the opposite happen with both teams spending most of the game neck-and-neck, and Sutherland then taking a substantial lead late in the game. North was unable to close the gap, and Sutherland won 6-3.

The championship match provided a chaotic end to a chaotic afternoon. The game began with West building a massive 5-0 lead. Sutherland, however, managed to close the gap with a four point rally. Then one of Sutherland’s players suffered a major injury. After some time, the game was declared a tie. Because of this, neither team was awarded first place.

The Podium

1st Place/2nd Place – Sutherland made their presence know. While their performance in Ultimate Frisbee saw them fall short of the semifinals, they did not fall short in kickball. It should be noted that Sutherland won three kickball games before the final match. This number of wins would have been enough for any of the other semifinalists to win the championship outright, but due to Sutherland’s position on the bracket, they needed to win one more game to take home the win. One thing is for sure: Sutherland should not be ignored.

1st Place/2nd Place – West is a force to be reckoned with. Though they barely missed the podium in Ultimate Frisbee, they still were a top team. While the final game ended early, West did hold the lead for the entire game. Don’t be surprised if you see this name on the podium again.

3rd Place – Hank is back for more. The Ultimate Frisbee Champion is the only house to make two podium appearances. Although they fell short of reaching the championship game, Hank still delivered a massive 12 point defeat to Memorial. With its strong performances in both athletic events, this house should be feeling pretty good right now.

Looking Forward: Commons Unplugged

Running from October 31st through November 6th is Commons Unplugged Week. This weeklong series of events focused on helping the environment consists of three major events: Green Activity, Green Forum, and Energy Conservation

Green Activity

This is an event where first-years can get practice working on campus sustainability. Attendance is tracked and counts for points. The details of this year’s Green Activity have yet to be released, but it will take place some time during Commons Unplugged Week. Make sure to be on the lookout for announcements from your house.

Green Forum

This is a lecture on conservation and sustainability that will take place on November 3rd from 7-8PM in the Commons MPR. Attendance is tracked and counts towards Commons Cup.

Energy Conservation

During this week, each house’s energy use will be tracked and compared to that same house’s energy use during Commons Unplugged week in 2019. The goal of each house is to reduce their energy consumption by as much as possible. Points are awarded based on how much energy each house conserves compared to 2019.

*Disclaimer: Daniel Sak, the author of this piece, is the Vice President of Hank Ingram House and was a member of the Hank Ingram kickball team.

Commons Cupdate 9/29

by

Cheering crowds. Hank victory. Kickball on the horizon. Here is all you need to know about the latest Commons Cup developments.

Ultimate Frisbee Tournament

This year’s ultimate frisbee tournament was not short of excitement. The first Commons Cup athletic competition, taking place this past Sunday under the glaring afternoon sun, was the first opportunity for the Class of 2025 to compete head-to-head against the other houses of the Ingram Commons for the Commons Cup.

Tournament Overview

In the opening round, West defeated Stambaugh by four points with a final score of 7-3. Sutherland beat Memorial by the same margin with the game ending 9-5.

The quarter-finals saw a bit more diversity in scores. Murray put up a tough fight against East in their opening match but ended up losing by a single point (final score of 7-8). That nail-biter was followed by Hank crushing Crawford with a final score of 9-3, the most decisive victory in the whole tournament. Gillette lost to West 4-6 in a tough fought match. Wrapping up the round was North’s come-from-behind 7-6 victory against Sutherland.

All four remaining teams – West, East, North, and Hank – fought passionately to secure their spots in the championship match. Natural rivals West and East House faced off in the first of these matches. This game saw elevated levels of roughness with multiple players being ejected. The game ended with East beating West 6-5, scoring the winning point in overtime.

The Hank vs North game was not short of surprises either. While the match started with the two teams trading points, North picked up some momentum built a commanding 7-2 lead against Hank. However, a late game rally saw Hank make a 6 point run, passing North and winning with a final score of 8-7.

After a long day of ultimate frisbee, the championship match between Hank and East began. While Hank managed to take an early lead, East closed the gap, leaving the score tied 4-4 at the end of regulation. The tournament ended as Hank scored the final, game-winning point.

The Podium

1st Place – Hank Ingram House is the house to beat. Not only is Commons’ largest house the ultimate frisbee champion, they also had the largest margin of victory (6 points against Crawford) and largest comeback victory (against North) in this year’s tournament. Their fan base – filling up both sides of the field – was nothing to scoff at either. If Hank can hold this momentum, they will be a force to be reckoned with this year.

2nd Place – East House is right on Hank’s tail. East was dominant throughout the tournament and only lost to Hank by one point. The question still remains: Will this loss demoralize or motivate East?

3rd Place – North is back for more. The traditional powerhouse and most recent Commons Cup victor has once again proven they are still a threat. While they did not make it to the championship game, third place should give this house a boost in points and enthusiasm to help propel them forward in this contest.

Looking Forward: Kickball

With ultimate frisbee over, it is time to move on to the next Commons Cup event: kickball. The Kickball Tournament is scheduled to take place on Sunday, October 10th from 11AM-3PM. This is the second of four athletic events for Commons Cup. Like all athletic and academic events, houses can earn points not only for gameplay but also for fan support. Please note that fan support is only tracked during your house’s first game. Keep an eye out for more information from your House Vice Presidents regarding the Kickball Tournament.

Commons Cupdate 9/22

by

Welcome to the first addition of the My Commons Life Commons Cupdate: your place to see all the latest developments and news related to the Commons Cup. Here is what you need to know:

Past Events

Kickoff – On Sunday September 12, the 2021-2022 Commons Cup began at Commons Center. Although attendance at this event counted towards the Commons Cup, participation was relatively low. This may, however, be due to the fact that house presidents (the people in charge of increasing event turnout) had yet to be elected.

HPAC Elections and Appointments – Over the course of the last few weeks, each House’s HPAC was assembled through a combination of elections (President and Vice President) and appointments (Public Relations Chair and Service Commissioners). This group will serve as the leadership for the house throughout the year, so make sure you get to know them.

Upcoming Events

Ultimate Frisbee – This first athletic event in Commons Cup will be held Sunday September 26, from 2-6PM. If you are interested in competing for your house in Ultimate Frisbee, reach out to your house vice president to sign up. If you are not competing, still come to Magnolia Lawn to cheer on your team! Attendance at Ultimate Frisbee, like all athletic and academic events, counts toward your house’s Community Involvement scores, so you can help the house win just by showing up.