Renee Pujara

My best decision at Georgetown was made before I even arrived on campus. It was also a decision I did not make: picking my roommate. Well, not picking. I made the rather bold or (arguably) stupid decision to go random for my freshman year roommate. The decision to let go and trust the universe changed more than just where I slept. Tired of scrolling through the accepted student Instagram page, I decided not to reach out to anyone.

Byrnes, Hayden, & Henle Halls—known to students as “New Henle”—became a dream dorm when housing registration opened for the 2025-26 school year last spring. Now, unexpected maintenance issues have raised concern among some living there. The former Henle Village was demolished in June 2023. After almost two years of construction, constant drilling, and blocked pathways, the new complex houses three residential buildings: Byrnes, Hayden, and Henle Halls.

On the first weekend of the lunar calendar, visitors gathered at a church near D.C.’s Chinatown to celebrate Lunar New Year, enjoying a lion dance performance as volunteers dished out noodles and dumplings. But beneath the lanterns, streamers, and joyful glow of the holiday festivities, the event carried a heavier purpose: organizing against gentrification in Chinatown. This Feb. 1 town hall was organized by Save Chinatown Solidarity Network DC and hosted at the Metropolitan Community Church.