Friday’s festivities marked the juniors’ official transition to seniors. Despite the debates that have surrounded Hey Day in recent years, the event saw a significant reduction in hazing activities, thanks to safety initiatives implemented this year.
After gathering for a picnic on High Rise Field Friday morning, the Class of 2011 proceeded down Locust Walk, with seniors looking on and, in much fewer cases than previous years, assailing them with food and condiments.
Indeed, according to Medical Emergency Response Team Chief Sourav Bose, a Wharton and Engineering junior, there was a “big decrease in traumatic incidents because of a cleaner Hey Day.”
Whereas last year’s event saw “a fair amount of trauma because of people falling and slipping on things on Locust Walk,” there were only 10 incidents total this year due to greater “control on the condiments,” Bose added.
The Division of Public Safety could not immediately be reached for comment.
While previous Hey Days have seen complaints, injuries and even lawsuits due to the chaos that ensued, this year’s event was “fantastic,” according to Class of 2011 President Adam Behrens, a College junior. He attributed the low incidence of hazing to a more effective HeySafe team — a program which was recently designed to identify students who need medical attention.
Moreover, more than 3,000 juniors and seniors signed the Hey Day Pledge, promising they would not engage in hazing activities, Behrens added.He also said the Final Toast event was more established this year, whereas it was initially implemented to occupy seniors during the day. “This year, we’ve seen the final product,” he said of the celebration. “It’s on its way to becoming part of Hey Day, not just a distraction for the seniors.”
College senior Carolina Miranda went to both Hey Day and Final Toast, but said the more stringent policies “took away from the excitement.”
Though she understood that hazing during previous years was leading to problems, Miranda added, Hey Day “went from one extreme to the other. They could have given us marshmallows or something to throw.”
For some, including College junior Rebecca Holtz, the fact that seniors did not throw much at the junior class detracted from the experience associated with Hey Day. “I was disappointed,” she wrote in an e-mail. “I wanted to be covered in condiments because it’s tradition.”
Similarly, some underclassmen were disappointed with this year’s Hey Day, as well.
Myles Karp, a College sophomore who witnessed the procession, said he hopes the rules don’t become even more rigid next year. As a rising junior, he added, “I hope they allow us to have an organic and messy Hey Day experience.”
On the other hand, College junior Ali Huberlie said she really enjoyed the event, which was a “lot cleaner and less rowdy” than she’d expected.
“The spirit of the junior class and all of the excitement and enthusiasm” made Hey Day memorable, Holtz added.
Undergraduate Assembly President Matt Amalfitano, a College junior, agreed, “Events that bring us all together are few and far between. The throwing stuff just doesn’t need to be there.”
