Exeter Cribs: The “It” Rooms in Cilley, Wentworth, and Main Street
By LOGAN BECKERLE, JINMIN LEE, and JACK CASSIDY
On the way to the athletic facilities, one has to pass by the majestic Cilley Hall. Gazing at this magnificent sight, one can notice the first-floor proctor room on the left side of the main entrance; a large “OPEN” sign salutes the eye. How could this neon sign not spark some curiosity about what is inside?
Senior Jack Doherty is the architect of room 107, a hotspot for all social gatherings. RGB LED lights illuminate the room as friends, teammates, and dormmates sit on the large couch to play Doherty’s Nintendo Switch on his large TV. Doherty fit his desk under his bed, giving the room a much more spacious feeling. On the walls, one will notice posters and flags reflecting Doherty’s passions and interests.
“I got two of my flags from the movies ‘Step Brothers’ and ‘Dodgeball,’ some of my favorites. I also have posters of ‘Attack on Titan,’ a popular anime I watch,” Doherty explained. “I’ll probably buy more in the future, such as the Irish flag.”
“I made a 3D model of my room over the summer using a software called Planner 5D,” Doherty continued. “I realized that the best setup to maximize space was to move my desk under the bed.”
Doherty’s room is the perfect place to relax and have social gatherings. Every furniture, placement, and decoration required a lot of intricate planning, and Doherty intends to continue working on his room as a yearlong project.
On the opposite of the Amen quad resides the superior dorm: Wentworth Hall. The second floor, at first glance, might seem boring and mundane, but I can assure you it is not.
Student listener and second-floor proctor Caspar Bailey occupies the coveted room 210, formerly the room of alumnus Rex Bedwick ‘24. While not the biggest room in the dorm, Bailey has been able to make it into a cozy haven for anybody to visit. The two cushy couches placed in each of the corners offer a good spot to unwind and watch a baseball game on his flatscreen TV placed in the center of the back wall. Tucked neatly under Bailey’s TV are his Xbox and two controllers, drawing in Bulls as far as the fourth floor to come and watch a competitive Madden 25 game.
Along those lines, Caspar’s room contains a very consistent sporty feel with a variety of New York Mets and New England Patriots merchandise, adding to the homey atmosphere. A few of the other unique graphics in the room are a high-definition photograph of his dog “Jett” and a reflective poster of the Vienna Vikings, which is an American Football team based in Austria. Caspar also sports a variety of autographed baseballs and game balls, as pictured above.
Caspar Bailey’s room is the nerve center of the Wentworth second floor. His thoughtful blend of sports items and cozy seating makes it the go-to spot for students seeking both memories and fun.
Honorable mention to Tripp Rondero.
They say that one’s space of living is a representation of one’s mind, and that seems to hold true throughout the dormitories of Phillips Exeter Academy. Walking through the hallway of any given dorm, you’ll see a mix of both tidy and not-so-tidy rooms. While some students prefer to reside in their ecosystem of controlled chaos, others simply can’t find the time to organize their clothes, vacuum, or dust their untouched surfaces.
In Main Street lies an example of a room that exhibits both creativity and organization. Upper JP Eskandar utilizes unique artwork, lighting, and various accessories to express his interests. His room is still able to effectively demonstrate a level of sophistication, though.
We start by walking into room 26, whose previous owners include Charles Clavel and Jack Gordon. If you were to look to your right, you’d see a vertical shoe rack, with a plant hanging off of the top and adding some life to the room. Right next to the rack is his desk, where the majority of his work is done during department meetings and evening study hours. His tools are stored in a pegboard hanging above that desk, where various dry-erase markers, pencils, and scissors are stored.
His room includes more interesting aspects, though. Various Kanye album posters cover his walls which are highlighted by overhanging lights. An array of Funko-Pops are also displayed on shelves across his walls. Eskandar said, “I love basketball, hence the figureheads and the jerseys.” The jerseys hanging on his closet door are those of Damian Lillard and Grant Williams, some of his favorite players.
Other notable decorations include a moose figurine and a lacrosse stick. When asked about these things, he mentioned that he “likes to demonstrate his passion for his dorm (Mainstreet Moose), as well as the Varsity B Lacrosse Team.”
While simple, his room’s defining characteristics are true to him, his personality, and his interests. “It’s the perfect place to unwind after a long day of strenuous activities,” he stated—something we all need more of due to the stressors of the Academy’s sometimes daunting lifestyle.
