"This money mostly went to winter formals," says Heinicke. "This way the houses can have formals and parties which we know are fun but which they can't afford on their own."
Heinicke says this policy, which made possible the Adams House masquerade, will fund the first year formal later this spring.
Spring Flings
For some, however, formals can get tiresome. As a result, final club theme bashes are well attended, members say.
And some of the clubs throw their biggest parties of the year before spring finals.
The Fly Club's annual "Garden Party," for instance is an opportunity for students to embrace the warmer weather.
"It's our welcoming spring party," says club president Scott B. Logan '94, "with music and dancing, and maybe people playing croquet, out on the lawn." The club also sponsors a Spring Fling for all students.
Such outdoor parties are also harbingers of spring at other colleges.
At Brown University, students in Providence, RI. dedicate the days before exams to Spring Weekend.
"It's a weekend of concerts and mid-night movies on the main green to help everyone relax before exams," says Uyen K. Le, a Brown junior.
Similarly, Eva J. Molnar, a University of Pennsylvania student, says their Spring Fling is a time to forget all worries.
"It's three day festival before exams when lots of bands come and play in the quad and everyone forgets about exams," says Uyen K. Le, a Brown junior.
Reed College students in Portland, Oregon traditionally prefer to celebrate the beginning of spring reading period with "Renn Fayre."
"It's a softball tournament, beer flowing everywhere, nude waterslides, and the Iliad toss-everyone taking Freshman English goes to the top of their dorm and throws out their copy of the Iliad," says Andrew M. West, a Reed College sophomore.
And it seems such nude revelry is fast becoming a tradition at many schools across the country. The Nude Olympics at Princeton is one such event.
"After the first snowfall of the year, a group of sophomores in Holder Court-yard get naked and play in the snow, wearing shoes, bats, and gloves," says Lawton W. Bloom, a senior at Princeton.
"There's usually someone with a torch. Not that many people participate, but there are always a lot of spectators," he says.
Still, some party traditions seem better left untouched.
"On the 13th of each month, eight to 120 people take off all their clothes, lather up with shaving cream, and run around campus leaving their imprints on people's dorm room doors," Thornton says.
"Then we all go to the grad student bar," he says "They have a policy of free beer for anyone who comes in naked."