Location: District House
Readers’ pick: Gelman Library announcement

From rock ‘n roll and jazz to top hits, District House’s “House Desk” at the H Street entrance plays a series of all your favorite songs at top volume through the basement levels.

Student employees from the Center for Student Engagement, who assist with reserving study rooms in the building and other related tasks, said they can choose from nine “preset” stations – 90s, Pop2K, CoffeeHouse, Pulse, The Heat, SiriusXM, Classic Rewind, E Street and Highway Country.

With student DJs running the show, you never know what you’ll hear blaring out of the speakers in the District House basement. That variety is why District House is The Hatchet’s pick for best campus playlist.

The student employees said people in the building rarely comment on the type of music and only ask for the music volume to be turned up or down, depending on what is happening in the building. They said they adjust the volume during busy times, so the music can still be heard above the noise but not too distracting during midterms and finals.

Freshman Jackson Williams, a District House employee, said he plays Today’s Hits and R&B station The Heat, two of the more upbeat stations, because he works during “more populated shifts” throughout the day and in the early evening.

Among employees, The Heat is played most often, but SiriusXM – a mix of throwbacks and today’s hits – and The Pulse are also popular, Williams said.

“When you’re in District House, the music you’re hearing is probably the shift person’s favorite genre that they’re playing,” he said.

Freshman Cassandra Colaizzi, another employee, said people don’t approach her about the music selections, but because she is stationed next to the H Street exit, she will often hear people comment on what’s playing.

“There was this one shift I had last month and literally everyone when they were leaving were like, ‘oh my god, I love the music, who has the AUX?’ Every single person,” she said. “It was great.”