Celebrity status is ignored largely as well. The only student to receive special treatment in recent years was Caroline B. Kennedy '80; security precautions were taken on her account. The children of celebrities almost never get treated differently than anyone else. Often, the senior advisers will not realize the connection between a student and a famous personality until well into the first term.

When nearly all the students have been matched, a process that runs till late July, the advisers erect a chart on a blackboard that lists all the rooms by size. When all the rooms have been filled, the advisers gear for another round of dealing as they try to fill their share of the Yard's rooms with a well-rounded group. Only at this last level can roommate groups be "handpicked by the senior adviser."

Three years ago, the adviser for the Union dorms--Greenough, 8 Prescott St. and Pennypacker--thought it might make the foreign students more comfortable at Harvard to have a "critical mass" in one dorm. But by assembling a huge group of foreigners in Pennypacker, she limited the foreigners flavor of many of the other dorms. The failure of her experiment was not repeated.

Even last year, several dorms--Holworthy, the middle entry of Thayer--were all male. But the Freshman Dean's Office proudly announces that this year, for the first time, the entire Yard is "coedded," to nearly everyone's pleasure. It has been many years since the advisers received a request for a single-sex dorm.

Most people have no complaints when they arrive, throw their bags on the bed and discover that their roommates are loveable rogues. Inevitably, they complain about denied expectations. Warning: there are very few single bedrooms in the Yard and even fewer single rooms.

But if you are the exception, and find you have insoluable difficulties with your new roommate, the Dean's office may (repeat: may) make changes. More likely, they'll have one word for you: "Sorry."

Senior Advisers

Your senior adviser will not be your closest confidante but he or she can become an invaluable friend if you take the time. While your dorm proctor will give you specific advice on courses, exams, and sex, your senior adviser will handle many of the bureaucratic hassles you encounter. And if you get hauled before the Administrative ("Ad") Board, the senior adviser can save your ass.

It's a good idea, therefore, to attend the cider and cookie shindig at your senior adviser's pad. And don't be careless with your fancy invitation to Dean Hank Moses' tea party. You'll get hot cider, good coffee and some of the best pastries in Cambridge. And you'll get a chance to meet the Dean, who's truly a great guy. Ask him to go rock climbing and he'll love you. But be careful about dragging him onto a handball court. He's a terror.

Your Senior Advisers:

West Yard: Burriss Young

South Yard: Michael Palm

East Yard: Shelley Kramer-Dover

North Yard: Joanne Aitken

Canaday: Will Marques

Union Dorms: Missy Holland