'04 meet '07: Senior/frosh dance brings classes close together

For the class of '04, social life at Princeton may seem a little stale. The eating clubs, parties, and even DJ Bob begin to lose their novelty over time. However, this year's senior class has begun to explore one of the few aspects of Princeton's social scene that does change on a yearly basis: freshmen.

On Saturday, Sept. 13, the senior class hosted a joint '04-'07 dance at the Fields Center. While some questioned the innocence of the seniors' invitation, the event was a tremendous success and forged many new friendships between the newest and oldest Tigers.

Several campus organizations took part in organizing the dance, said senior president Eli Goldsmith '04.

Far from the brainchild of love-starved seniors, the idea for the dance originated in the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students.

Dean Dunne urged the senior class to assume a more visible role in the lives of younger Princetonians, acting as mentor figures to the green and often "lost" freshmen.

Students responded enthusiastically to Dunne's suggestion. Despite some rainy weather, a crowd of between 500 and 1,000 students showed up at the Fields Center to find the senior class officers already barbecuing. Those officers held onto their grill posts from 9:30 to 2:30 a.m., serving hundreds of hamburgers to hungry undergraduates.

Students danced the night away to D.J. music, seemingly unaware that G-Dep, the much-hyped headlining rapper, did not show up until the very end of the evening.

Goldsmith stressed the importance that the dance did not serve alcohol, emphasizing to the '07 class that Princeton offers fun alcohol initiative events that seniors wholeheartedly endorse.

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Dean Dunne, who attended the dance, congratulated Goldsmith on the success of the event, Goldsmith said.

"He thought it was fantastic," Goldsmith said. "What he liked was that seniors were so visible at the event." The dance provided an opportunity for freshmen to meet seniors, he said, and to ask them questions they have about entering such a new, fast-paced environment.

Upon receiving the invitational email, however, many seniors doubted the sincerity of the event, and suspected that some senior boys were just eager to meet the stereotypically young, and potentially datable, freshmen girls.

"I'm sure that all the '04s only had the best intentions for the '07s in mind," scoffed Scott Danford '04.

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Goldsmith was certainly aware of the criticism.

"Certain seniors charged me with pedophilia at first," he chuckled. Though ultimately, he said, most seniors realized the usefulness of such an event.

Michelle Sharp '04 said that she would have appreciated more opportunities to interact with seniors when she first came to Princeton.

Remembering her days as a wide-eyed "clueless" freshman, she said it would have been helpful to ask older students questions and advice. A senior now herself, she said she embraces the opportunity to meet the class of '07.

"They're interesting to talk to. They have interesting perspectives about Princeton," she said.

The budding relationship between the classes of '07 and '04 dance seems to be just beginning.

Class officers followed the dance up with a joint movie night for the two classes at the Garden Theater, offering free admission and popcorn. Though no other events are currently planned, Goldsmith says they are a distinct possibility in the future.