Seniors Begin Celebration of Final 100 Days

It might not be spring just yet, but seniors are already counting down to commencement in June.

Kicking off the 100-day countdown to graduation, senior class members gathered yesterday on the steps of Widener Library to inspire classmates with chants of "Seniors!" and "Thank God for graduation!"

This was just the first of dozens of events planned by Class of 2000 to mark the beginning of the 100-day graduation countdown.

"We're hoping to inspire class spirit," said Sienna R. Owens '00, a Currier House representative, of the seniors standing on the steps of Widener.

"We get extra excited when there's a big crowd," Owens said.

And Hector C. Bove, '00, class treasurer and a Crimson editor, said he hoped the publicity would encourage more people to join last night's celebration at the Hong Kong.

The students in front of Widener promoted class spirit and built up graduation anticipation from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Senior class members gathered at 9 p.m. last night to kick off their celebration at the Kong.

This is the first of 100 evenings out planned by the class marshals. The schedule: Sundays at Grafton Street, Mondays at John Harvard's, Tuesdays at Temple's, Wednesdays at the Crimson Bar and Grille and Thursday through Saturday in individual seniors' rooms.

Dara B. Olmsted '00 was hopeful about the class' ability to maintain this party schedule.

"We're going to try it and tell next year's class if it's possible," she said.

The class has agreements with most of the bars in the schedule to have free appetizers served.

Last night, they hoped to fill the Kong by 10:30 p.m and they expected overflow students to frequent neighboring bars as well.

"We think Grafton and the Bow will be positively affected," Owens said.

And Owens also said the senior events were not necessarily exclusive to seniors.

"If you want to celebrate our graduation with us, come on out, we do not discriminate," she said.

Some seniors are planning already to become frequent patrons at senior events; Sarah H. Bloomberg '00 said she will attend as many events as any possible.

But some seniors were not so lucky to join their classmates last night.

History and Literature concentrators were trying to finish up their senior theses, which are due today.

"I am not going to go. I don't to jinx anything but I will go tomorrow. Thesis first, then job, then graduation," said Elizabeth S. Grossman '00.

Other events planned by the senior class in the next 100 days include a carnival in the Quad, a Boston Marathon tailgate party and trips to Foxwoods Casinos.

Adam D. Colvin '00, a class marshal from Currier House, stood on Widener's steps yesterday for three hours to promote class spirit. But even though he was excited, he said he did have some anxiety as the countdown began.

"I'm totally pumped, but I'm a little afraid of what happens when it's all over," he said.