Housing Day To Be Held Friday After Spring Recess in Break From Tradition

Harvard College will hold Housing Day on the Friday following spring break in 2025 — pushing back the annual festivities more than a week past their traditional date on the Thursday before break.

The annual tradition, which marks the date that freshmen are randomly sorted into one of the College’s 12 upperclassmen Houses, has taken place before spring break since its revival in 2008. On the morning of Housing Day, upperclassmen storm freshmen dormitories with signs and costumes to welcome them to their new Houses.

Dean of Students Thomas G. Dunne announced the change to House administrators and academic coordinators in an email on Sept. 25.

“Last year Amanda Claybaugh and I asked a committee of faculty, students, and staff to review our current Housing Day tradition, which has typically been held on the Thursday before Spring Break,” he wrote.

Earlier that week, at a regular meeting of House Committee chairs, Dunne attributed the change to feedback from faculty, who expressed that Housing Day interferes with classes and midterms, according to a person in attendance.

In response to a request for comment, College spokesperson Jonathan Palumbo wrote that the change “was not a response to faculty complaints but rather a broader review with an eye toward full participation.”

Dunne also told students at the meeting that holding Housing Day after break would also allow the College to schedule activities to build House spirit among students assigned to dorms in the Radcliffe Quadrangle, according to the attendee. Freshmen assigned to the Quad, located at least a 15-minute walk from the Yard and the River Houses, often react with disappointment.

The night before Housing Day, many freshmen partake in River Run, visiting each of the nine Houses along the Charles River, often attempting to take a shot of alcohol at each. Longstanding student superstition holds that successfully completing River Run appeases the “River Gods” and helps participants avoid being Quadded.

On Housing Day morning, upperclassmen flood the Yard beginning around 7 a.m. Despite the festivities, classes — and sometimes midterms — are held on Housing Day.

“​​We hope that this shift in schedule will allow students to focus on their academic work without feeling that they are missing out on one of Harvard’s signature memories,” Dunne wrote. “We know that this tradition is very important to students, and to all of us at the College, and we plan to assess the impact of this new date to make sure we are on the right path.”

Harvard has made a series of changes to Housing Day traditions in recent years. In 2024, the College lifted Harvard ID swipe restrictions on access to upperclassmen Houses the night before Housing Day — which were designed to prevent students from drinking to excess during River Run, but often led to rowdy nights as students jumped fences, stormed gates, and evaded security guards.

The College also introduced food trucks, a snack bar, and games to give students a safe social space on Housing Day eve.

—Staff writer Darcy G Lin can be reached at darcy.lin@thecrimson.com.