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Harvard’s endowment was on full display Wednesday — this time without prompting from Congress — as students stripped down to participate in Primal Scream before final exams begin.

More than 150 students shed their clothes and their worries as part of the biannual tradition, which marks the end of reading period each term. Despite looming exams, students were eager to take part, with groups of scantily clad runners gathering in front of the John Harvard statue several minutes before midnight.

Runners gathered in front of University Hall, in a break from the traditional start line by Hollis Hall, before taking off as the clock struck twelve — and towels, robes, and jackets hit the ground.

“This is the first time I smile in a while since it’s final season. Everyone’s in Lamont, frowning, unhappy,” Karim Masri ’29 said. “This is a really good chance to destress, let loose for a bit without any serious consequences.”

Despite entering into the University in a year of doubt — as Harvard faces a hiked federal endowment tax, a slew of investigations, and ongoing pressure from the Trump administration — freshmen who took part in the event seemed to have no shortage of school spirit Wednesday night.

“It’s a very famous Harvard tradition, and I thought I would uphold that tradition by partaking in it,” Nicholas A. Bondar ’29 said.

But not all students were aware of the specifics of the evening’s event.

“Where are their pants at, bro?” said a Harvard student passing by at the start of the event, watching the boxer-clad Harvard University Band assemble near the John Harvard statue.

The band began to play at five minutes to midnight, though a student’s speaker drowned out the brass and drums. Shortly after, the music was replaced by shouts as students took a naked lap around Harvard Yard.

In the hour leading up to the event, students poked their heads out of windows to see just how cold the night would be. The evening provided a slight respite for runners, who were met with warmer weather than the previous week, though temperatures still remained near-freezing.

“I was expecting something light and simple. I was wheezing out of breath. That winter sickness got to my throat,” Sasha A. Cavell ’29 said.

While some runners took convincing to participate, students soon found themselves caught up in the excitement of the tradition.

“After I got here and I saw the energy, I’m like, wait, I’m self-committing to this,” Farhaan Siddiqui ’29 said. “Everyone’s extra social here. It’s like orientation all over again.”

The unexpected enthusiasm extended to Primal Scream’s uniquely dressed-down dress code, according to Rachel Durango-Cohen ’29.

“I wasn’t expecting as much nudity as I saw, because when I asked people, ‘Are you going to be fully naked?’ The answers were like, ‘No, who would do such a thing?’” Durango-Cohen said.

“But everyone was naked and that was great,” she added.

—Staff writer Hugo C. Chiasson can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X @HugoChiassonn.

—Staff writer Sebastian B. Connolly can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X @SebastianC4784.