First-years Hope For Housing Lottery Luck

The first-year band "Invisible Downtown" has a song appropriate for Yard residents today--"Living in the Quad."

Michael J. Palmer '03, a Lionel Hall resident and drummer for the band, said the group plans to set up outside to perform the tune, whose chorus goes: "Living in the Quad. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah."

But last night, the members of the group waited impatiently for housing assignment announcements along with the other 1600 or so first-years.

Palmer said he had no big plans for the night but had heard rumors of bizarre behavior in other dorms.

"There's supposed to be an orgy in Hollis, but I'm looking out my window right now and it's looking pretty tame," he said.

Other first-years reported similar scheduled events.

"We're having a wild orgy, but not with our blocking group," said Alexander D. Forrester '03, whose eight-man group wants anywhere but Jordan, the Pforzheimer overflow housing located just outside the Quad. "We're meeting up with two all-female blocking groups."

Some first-years planned to put their debauchery to work for them.

In order to appease the "river gods," the women in the blocking group of Mary Ellen Hammond '03 worked out a ceremony.

"We're going to go by the River and throw someone in or a shirt with the House we want and all of our names," she said.

A male resident of Wigglesworth Hall had also planned an elaborate ritual. Sophomores who survived the housing ordeal last year passed down their secret to the seven men in his group.

"It involves voodoo dolls and Jack Daniels," he said.

Other first-years had considerably tamer plans.

On his way to a gathering with blockmates in Grays Hall, Michael D. Park '03 said he was planning on having a good time but was not going to stay up to wait for the ominous envelope.

"They say they're going to stay up all night, but everybody's just going to go to sleep," he said.

With midterms and papers still looming, many said their evenings would include visiting Herrell's or watching a video, but nothing too strenuous.

Some athletes said they will not be able to fully immerse themselves in the revelry.

"We have crew practice in the morning," Caleb J. Beyers '03 said. "We're going to bed early so we can uphold the Crimson winning rowing tradition."

His friends have to wait until after practice to find out their future home.

And whether members of Invisible Downtown get Quadded or not, the song is sure to touch a few nerves today.

But the version of the song they will play depends on the contents of their letter. If they end up on the River, the song will bash the Quad. But if they end up in Pforzheimer, Cabot or Currier Houses, the lyrics will change drastically.

"We have to resolve [that] we're happy to be there," Palmer said. "We give the Quad a fair shake in the song. The rooms are big and the dining halls are nice."