In annual ritual, freshmen are rousted to find out where they’ll be living the next three years, and the bonding merriment begins
Wondering why joyous students were dressed as trees and yelling at the tops of their lungs on Thursday morning, or why others were wearing moose antlers or penguin costumes? Don’t worry, we’ve got answers.
Harvard College’s annual Housing Day is when freshmen, who spend their first year living in and around the Yard Houses, are sorted into one of 12 upperclass Houses. Freshmen are raucously informed of their House assignments early in the morning by the upperclass residents of their new Houses.
This year, as the cheering, spirit, and dancing hit a fever pitch outside, inside University Hall representatives from each House received formal letters to deliver to freshmen informing them of their House assignments. With letters in hand, the representatives stormed into the Yard dorms, letting members of the Class of 2020 know where they will be living for the next three years.
The rest was celebration, complete with House colors, shields, pennants, and those identifying costumes.
Lowell House students, hoisting a photo of Faculty Dean Diana Eck, gather in the dining room to don T-shirts before marching to Harvard Yard for Housing Day, when freshmen receive their housing assignments for the next three years. Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer House representatives, including Gia Marciano ’18 (left) from Quincy House, and Tom Culp ’19 from Lowell House, charge down the steps of University Hall with their letters for freshmen. Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer A Pforzheimer House resident (left) chases down a renegade student who stole a PfoHo polar bear head. Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer Kirkland House members Chris Dolliff ’18 (left) and Hendong Park ’18 take a selfie in University Hall before heading to the dorms with their letters for freshmen. Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer Azraa Chaudhury ’18 (left), of Dunster House and Mohamed M. Aourir ’17 of Adams pose for a picture in Harvard Yard. Photo by Silvia Mazzocchin Kim Arango ’20 stands in Matthews Hall with her letter from Eliot House, while House members whoop it up in the background. Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer Margaret “Maggie” Botros ’17 from Winthrop House cheers in Harvard Yard during Housing Day 2017. Photo by Silvia Mazzocchin Residents of Adams House pose for a group picture before heading to the Harvard Yard. Photo by Silvia Mazzocchin Eboni White ’17 from Adams shows support to her House by holding a sign. Photo by Silvia Mazzocchin A student from Currier House leaves University Hall with letters for freshmen in hand. Photo by Silvia Mazzocchin Adams House residents Christopher Johnny ’18 (left) and Tasnim Ahmed ’17 welcome students to their House while celebrating Housing Day at Annenberg Hall. Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer Isabel Wagner ’18 welcomes students to Pforzheimer House while celebrating Housing Day inside Annenberg Hall as Trevor Noon ’18 (upper right) holds a banner. Camille N’Diaye-Muller ’18 (far left) holds a Leverett House banner and wears bunny ears. Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer Sarah Chapman ’18 and Pietro Galeone ’17 boost Cabot House while students celebrate Housing Day inside Annenberg Hall. Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer Neel Mehta ’18 welcomes students to Pforzheimer House. Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer Students celebrate Housing Day inside Annenberg Hall. Kris Snibbe/Harvard Staff Photographer
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