Off-Campus Parties Fill Gap

With no student center or Greek system, Harvard doesn't exactly have the reputation of a "party school."

But some undergraduates, tired of dorm-room and final-club parties, have begun organizing bashes in downtown Boston. These students said off-campus parties supplement the dearth of social gatherings on campus, provide a refreshing change of scene and allow them to interact with non-Harvard students.

Michael P. Beys '94 said he threw three big off-campus parties last year, including a "Beantown birthday bash" during the second week of his first year.

An Ice-Breaker

According to Beys, the Yard was so boring on weekend nights last year that he decided to organize a party in Boston to "break the ice."

"Three hundred people from Harvard hopped on the T and came. It started out with 300 strangers and ended with 300 very pleasant acquaintances," Beys said.

"It was the equivalent of a FOP trip," he added, referring to the First year Outdoor Program.

Vladimir V. Ragulin '94 and Yury V. Gruzglin '94 held a party at M-80, a Boston nightclub, last Thursday. Ragulin said bolstering an off-campus social scene is "expensive but worth it."

Students who attended Ragulin's bash agreed. According to Ivan J. Dmochowski '94, the biggest problems with Harvard's social scene are that students' rooms are not big enough to hold large groups of revelers and that there are no fraternity parties.

Michael D. Connolly '94 said that public parties on campus, both public and private, "crowded like sardines."

"The final clubs here don't have the same mystique as [the clubs] in Boston," Connolly added.

Even many students who enjoy dorm-room and final-club parties said the off-campus scene is a nice change.

"It's not that I'm not satisfied with on-campus parties," said Costas Panagopoulos '94, "I just enjoy meeting other students from other schools. It gives you a chance to be an explorer."

Liam F. Day '94 said he met his best friend, his girlfriend and his current roommate at Beys' Orientation Week bash. Day, who attended a party at Quincy House last Saturday night, said "it was good for a Harvard party, but absolutely no comparison to Mike's parties."

For A Small Fee

Regulin, Gruzglin, and Beys said they charged their guests a small admission fee. According to Beys, he collected $4 apiece to cover the cost of renting the club, not to make money off his friends.

"It's kind of sleazy to make big profits off your friends," Beys said.

Beys, a member of the Undergraduate Council, said he hopes to receive the council's support for future offcampus gatherings.