By Ethan Zhang ’26
Graphic by Izzy Cook ’27/The Choate News
It’s going to be a long day: five classes, two hours of sports practice, and ensemble rehearsal. Hoping to ready yourself for the storm yet to come, you find an empty seat and flop down in relief. With the array of chairs on campus, from century-old couches to modern leather chairs, students have staked their claim for the best seat on campus.
Hill House
The Hill House common room boasts the iconic spinning yellow sofa chairs, a standout in the Choate chair-loving community. Both comfortable and situated in a prime location, Hill House prefect Jenna Kim ’25 believes the chairs are one of the reasons her friends come to see her. “A lot of my friends come to Hill to hang out on the chairs,” Kim said.
On the other hand, Hill House resident Everett Royall ’27 enjoys the chairs for a more practical reason: “They are really good for getting work done, and the location is really secluded. You can utilize the armrests to hold your iPad up,” Royall said.
Larry Hart Pool
The Larry Hart Pool may seem like the last place to have a comfortable, dry seat. However, hidden in the pool lobby is a timeless blue couch, battered over the years but still structurally sound. For Boys’ Swim Team Captain Daneel Polakoff ’25, the antique couch holds both comfort and memories. “You can sink in the mattress of the couch. It’s comforting, warm, and [has] a homey vibe,” Polakoff said. “It’s also quite nostalgic. That’s the same couch I’ve slept on during meets since freshman year.”
Sally Hart Lawn
In front of the Sally Hart Lodge rests blue, wooden lawn chairs, striking in both color and location. Libby Dai ’25, a frequenter of these seats, said, “On a nice spring day, they’re perfect for reading, tanning, and talking with friends.” Dai also enjoys hosting picnics and playing spikeball near these chairs.
Third-Floor SAC Study Rooms
The third floor of the Student Activities Center (SAC) is home not only to the meeting room of The Choate News, but also to Mason Kwee ’27’s favorite seats: the study rooms’ plush sofas.
Though comfortable, Kwee finds the location of the rooms particularly appealing. “It’s secluded, so I can get most of my work done without distractions,” Kwee said. At the same time, its proximity to the Project Room means he can grab pencils or scissors if necessary.
West Wing and Hall Common Room
With the recent renovations to the Andrew Mellon Library and the joining of Hall and West Wing into one dorm, some of the community’s most beloved chairs were relocated; the plush, leather armchairs near the fireplace in the Library were moved to the West Wing common room.
West Wing resident Emma Zeng ’26, whose favorite chair used to be the Library armchairs, now has the privilege of enjoying their comfort in the convenience of her own common room. “I can do my work and, more importantly, since it’s angled to the doorway, I can also see people who walk into the room,” Zeng said.
Lanphier Cafe
Lanphier Center is home to many chairs on campus that are easy to fall asleep in. However, due to its optimal architecture and comfort, the gray chair in the corner of Lanphier Cafe holds a special place in Andrew Fazzone-Chettiar ’26’s heart. Fazzone-Chettiar appreciates its otherworldly comfort and function as a cup holder. He noted that, “[My drink] could technically fall off since it’s not super stable, but it’s a risk-to-reward ratio that is [worth it].”
With the wide variety of chairs available on campus, the competition is tough. Whether you’re cramming for a Spanish test or simply looking for a spot to relax during Conference, try out some of these chairs and decide for yourself which one should be deemed Choate’s most chair-ished seat.
