"They're making such a big deal, it makes you wonder if anything's going to happen," said Amy Perry '86. Others were less complacent. Paul Gallagher '86 didn't bother to tape his windows on the 17th floor, but one of his roommates did--before seeking safer refuge at Lowell House.

"He was even considering leaving Boston and heading west," Gallagher said.

Samuel A. Hoisington '87 and his roommates in Mather 423 used black electric tape to spell the word "PARTY" in their picture window. They said they had stockpiled five cases of beer for a hurricane party Friday night.

But at 4 p.m., in keeping with tradition, Co-Masters David and Patricia Herlihy hosted students for an open house.

Outside Mather House, juniors Douglas Kelly and Donald Mordecai readied for an afternoon run, and wondered aloud whether they should go back to their rooms for protective glasses.

"Go upstairs and get the brains that you're missing," said an exasperated Superintendent James Garside.

For Kirkland House residents, the party started early.

From breakfast, it was on to the Harvard Provision package store, and groups monitoring the storm's inauspcious progress from the Kirkland archway cheered as friends wheeled keg after keg into the house.

When asked if Kirkland would be taking any special storm precautions, Superintendent Kevin Higgins said, "We're getting drunk, it looks like," nodding to an incoming keg.

"We went around being alive because we knew there was the slightest possibility we wouldn't be tomorrow," said Samuel H. Heldman '86.

"People I didn't even know came up and introduced themselves to me. It was sort of a bonding experience," said Kirkland resident Kristin L. Amerling '87.

Residents estimated that the house hosted about two dozen parties for storm-weary undergraduates.

"I suspect that 30 percent of this school's going to be shitfaced by the end of this afternoon," ventured one undergraduate, who asked to remain anonymous