The Spire

Thomas Gangemi ‘26 and William McHale ‘26

Staff Writers

Stepping into Finn Mungovan’s room, visitors are transported to a world that is uniquely his own. Though you might not know him, every corner of the room is decked with memorabilia that gives you a sense of who he is and his manifold interests. The sound of punk music greets you as you walk in the door and books – ranging from Cormac McCarthy’s “Blood Meridian” to Emil Cioran’s “The Trouble With Being Born” – are stacked on the desk and shelves of the room. A prospective philosophy major, Finn is an avid reader whose literary interests cut into every philosophical and theoretical niche. 

Mungovan and his roommate, Coltrane Howell, got extremely lucky, as they ended up in a room in Clark that was originally supposed to be an RA room. The room is very spacious, with a bathroom, closet, and a common area that Mungovan converted into his bedroom earlier this semester. He says that he still uses the communal bathroom sometimes, but it is certainly nice to have your own bathroom as a freshman. 

The room is covered in posters from many of Mungovan’s favorite bands and films, which include My Bloody Valentine, The Beatles, “Blue Velvet,” and more. His interest in art is further conveyed by the two guitars and two film cameras that he keeps near his desk; he is especially proud of his GAF ST-500 camera that he uses to film some of the concerts that he attends.

Mungovan said that he spends much of the day outside of his dorm, as he prefers to work and hang out around campus. His dorm is very important to him, however, as it is the place that he goes to for some time alone, as he listens to music and decompresses from a busy day. Drawings on post-it notes and a lawn chair at his desk convey the laid-back, relaxed feel of the dorm in contrast to the business of the rest of campus. When asked what kind of impression he wanted to give to those seeing his room for the first time, he remarked that the room’s decorations are meant primarily to inspire himself and make him feel at home while he’s away at school.

Copy Edited by Will Donahue ’24