Despite Rumors, Freshmen Swipe Access to Remain Restricted for River Run

Editor’s note, February 21, 2024: A statement issued by the Dean of Students Office after publication disputed the reporting of this article, which arose from a misunderstanding with a College spokesperson. A follow-up article now correctly reports that freshmen will have swipe access to upperclassman Houses during “River Run” this year.

— Miles J. Herszenhorn, Managing Editor

— J. Sellers Hill, President

Swipe access will remain unchanged for freshmen during “River Run” even as the First Year Experience and First Year Social Committee Offices will provide food trucks, a snack bar, and games at the Malkin Athletic Center to mark the informal college tradition.

The announcement refutes rumors that circulated Sunday on the anonymous social media app Sidechat about a decrease in security during “River Run,” a 16-year-old tradition in which freshmen attempt to enter and drink a shot of alcohol in all nine upperclassman Houses by the Charles River the night before housing assignments are revealed.

Harvard University ID swipe access to River Houses is typically disabled for freshmen on the night before Housing Day, even though the College has been reluctant in the past to formally acknowledge the tradition. The Sidechat posts, one of which gained more than 450 upvotes, claimed that this year freshmen would be able to swipe into every River House that night.

“I think there needs to be better communication between the students and the College, more transparency,” Luke B. Blanchette ’27 said, adding that the Sidechat rumors were “very widespread.”

“Everyone I’ve talked to believes in the rumor,” Blanchette added.

College spokesperson Jonathan Palumbo wrote in an emailed statement that “there will be official communications with first year students about expectations and opportunities for housing day.”

“We encourage students to consult those communications or engage with members of their residential community with questions,” Palumbo wrote.

Lakota J. Tolloak ’26, who works as a peer advising fellow for a group of freshmen, said the residential proctor he works with informed their advising group that freshmen would have HUID access.

“She had mentioned that she had heard from — she didn’t say who — but she had heard that this year freshmen would have swipe access to all the upperclassmen Houses, and that there would be food trucks parked along the river in an attempt to safeguard and prevent people from getting sick,” Tolloak said.

Chanden A. Climaco ’27 also said his proctor said there would be swipe access to the River Houses, as well as food trucks and games at the MAC.

Some students said River Run is likely to still occur in a similar form.

“I think that people will still do it, I’m just sad for them because it’s less fun. It’s kind of a flop,” Nick A. Chehwan ’25 said.

Lauren Mei ’27 also said she expects the tradition to continue, even with potential security changes. Mei said she has been devising strategies for hopping fences and finding alternative routes into the River Houses, as she plans to not use her swipe access even if given access to it.

“We’re keeping it pure,” Mei said, expressing that the lack of swipe access “adds so much more fun to the culture of River Run.”

“I talked to upperclassmen who have their River Run scars and their bruises and stuff, and I kind of want to experience that,” Mei added.

Bill Yang ’27 heard stories of previous River Run injuries, and while he feels that swipe access would take away the “adventurous and rebellious” nature that makes the tradition fun, he also recognizes that swipe access would make the tradition safer.

“I have heard stories of people literally cut their leg open or was bleeding because they jumped off the fence,” Yang, a Crimson editorial editor, said.

Still, some upperclassmen said they felt sneaking into River Houses was integral to their River Run experience.

“We were sneaking around Lowell, like 15 people in an elevator,” Derek Zheng ’24 said of his experience. “And then the elevator broke down, because I think we had too many people in the elevator. So we’re stuck on like a half floor and had to call security to get us out.”

“I think everyone has a story like that,” Zheng added.

Chehwan also got stuck in an elevator during River Run, though his was in Dunster House.

“My initial reaction is that I feel like River Run is only fun if you’re running from the security guards, and I think that part of the fun is breaking the law a little, and then having people yell at you,” he said.

In one anonymous Sidechat post, which garnered 430 upvotes, a user who identified themself as a senior in Mather House said they would guard entrances to the House with water guns. Responses to the post called for other upperclassmen to defend their Houses.

Gavin Smith ’27, who heard the rumors about swipe access and upperclassman plans to guard House gates, said he supports the idea of granting freshmen swipe access for safety reasons.

“I think it’s a good move because they’re acknowledging that it happened, and they’re making it safer,” Smith said. “But I also believe that upperclassmen are planning on pretending to be guards anyway, so I don’t think the fun is going to be lost.”

But Dhwani Garg ’25 feels that this dynamic change between the freshmen and upperclassmen would jeopardize the unique bonding opportunity across grades that River Run provides.

“Depending on which upperclassmen help you in which Houses, it’s supposed to bond you to a certain House,” Garg said. “It’s like, ‘Oh, I love the upperclassmen in this House.’ I think you don’t get the same experience if they’re the ones guarding the gates.”

—Staff writer Natalie K Bandura can be reached at natalie.bandura@thecrimson.com.

—Staff writer Azusa M. Lippit can be reached at azusa.lippit@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @azusalippit or on Threads @azusalippit.