Council Offers Formal For First Year Students

For year's first-year students have been left out in the cold in the season of Harvard winter formals. But tomorrow, they will have a gala social event all to themselves.

For the first time, the Undergraduate Council is sponsoring a formal solely for first-yea students, which will be held at the Boston World Trade Center. Organizers said that although there have been previous formal events specifically for first-years arranged by other organizations, those efforts have not been enough to meet demand for them.

"Freshmen get left out of the House formals, and I thought it would really be nice for freshmen to have a formal of their own and the chance to get to interact with other freshmen," said Bonni N. Grant '92, the council's social chair.

Theresa F. Loong '94, the organizer of the event, said the council decided to host the formal after many first-years expressed interest in having more Council-sponsored events geared specifically for them. Planning of the event, the proceeds of which will be donated to charity, has been in the works since October, she said.

"I think that freshmen don't have that much," Loong said. "They don't have a chance to do something for themselves. They don't get that special treatment [they received during] pre-frosh and freshmen week."

About two-hundred-fifty tickets had been sold at the Union as of yesterday, according to Adam G. Wolff '94, who staffed ticket sales at the first-year dining hall yesterday. Tickets are also available at Holoyke Center.

Loong said that as a result of the strong interest the formal has attracted, it may become an annual event. Grant said that many first-years think the dance is a great idea and are wondering why it has not been offered before.

"I think it's something every freshmen class should do," Loong said. "It's been very positive."