As the first first-year Class Board to take office during a pandemic, Class Board 2025 is working to hold traditional social events — like Econ Scream — in accordance with COVID-19 safety guidelines.
September's New Student Elections were the first since 2019, after the Nominations and Elections Committee opted not to hold them in 2020 due to COVID-19 preventing the class from meeting in person. Now the 10 members of Class Board 2025 are working to carry on Penn’s first-year traditions, beginning with Econ Scream on Oct. 11.
At Econ Scream, which takes place the night before the first midterm in ECON 001: "Introduction to Micro Economics," first-year students typically gather in the Quad for food, music, and a communal scream at midnight.
College first year and Class Board 2025 President Will Krasnow said that this year's Econ Scream will take place at the Ware Patio in the Quad. After working with the Office of Student Affairs to determine which safety measures are required, Krasnow said that the Class Board will not require masks because the event is outdoors. Instead of allowing students to serve themselves, members of the Class Board will serve doughnut holes wearing gloves.
Last year, because there was no Class Board 2024 elected in the fall, a group of first years and older Penn Student Government members formed an informal committee to organize events traditionally planned by the first-year class board, including Econ Scream.
Because Econ Scream was held virtually last year, members of Class Board 2025 are working closely with OSA and PSG upperclassmen to plan the first in-person Econ Scream during the pandemic, College first year and Class Board 2025 Vice President of External Affairs Hannah Liu said.
Although first-year class boards typically seek guidance from the year above them, Krasnow said that he and other members of the class board have mostly been meeting with Class Boards 2022 and 2023.
“Our Class Board is really excited, especially given that this is the first [first-year] Class Board in some time, so we're just really excited to have these events,” Krasnow said.
College first year and Class Board 2025 Executive Vice President Amaan Omer said that having to follow COVID-19 safety measures has not significantly hindered the board's efforts to return to a normal first-year Class Board.
“We are trying to make everything as normal as possible [like] before COVID-19 happened, so we are ensuring our very best effort into planning these events where we can normalize them to make kids feel like they're not part of a pandemic, but to also ensure that they're safe while they're having fun,” Omer said.
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