Skinny Dipping

The men's varsity swimmers turned a few heads Thursday when they dressed traditionally to prepare for the Princeton meet: with their suits on their heads.

Disregarding the presence of both the women's team and recreational swimmers, the aquamen began chanting, "Suits on head," removed their swimming trunks and paraded around the pool deck with their suits on their heads. They even took a few pictures of themselves.

"It's a tradition that started because at one point there was a Princeton meet and the guys took their suits off because we won and walked around the pool with them on their heads," said team manager Nancy J. Covello '87. "I didn't look. I went in the office and hid."

The men's swim team was not content to perform its feat just once. On Friday it repeated the stunt at the Princeton pool. "It was really funny because they have a big window where you can look down at the pool and see the people practicing," Covello said.

Practicing in the nude didn't inspire the men's team on to victory--it lost to Princeton over the weekend--but it did motivate the women's team to practice some exhibitionism of their own: "About eight girls jumped off the tower without suits on," said team member Karen E. Schneider '89.

Chess, Anyone?

While former Speaker of the House Thomas P. "Tip" O' Neill was known for his poker game. Cambridge's never political set seems to have chosen a new game to hone its strategic thinking.

Cambridge City Council candidate Jonathan Myers heads the city's chess club and will run the Cambridge Open chess tournament this spring.

Myers's skill at chess may translate into some political success for him. Celtics center Bill Walton, who has dabbled in politics in the past, met the candidate through their mutual interest in the game of kings, and has since agreed to endorse Myers.

Coooooookie

Some Harvard students found an unusual place to party Saturday night: David's Cookies, on Brattle St.

Between 30 and 40 people gathered in the darkened store late that evening and invaded the shop's basement storerooms.

"This girl in a David's Cookies apron let me in, "said one Harvard party-goer. "The lights were all out, and people were crouching down to stay out of sight."

The party-goers raided the refrigerators, helping themselves to ice cream, sodas and, of course, cookies. "I only took one cookie because I felt really guilty," said the Harvard student.

Six-ing Out

While studying for four exams can be more than enough for most students, one Eliot House resident was scheduled to take six finals at the end of last semester.

"I hurt my back and sicked out of one, but that didn't help because I still had to study for them all," she said. "But other than that I survived."

She said that taking six classes in one semester was not as difficult as might be expected. "You just work really hard, " she said." I've done equally crazy things, like I worked and did a sport and took four classes [at the same time]."

Safe Crossings

Crossing Mass Ave. will get a little easier for Harvard students on their way to Square stores.

The Cambridge City Council recently decided not to put a stop light or a stop sign at the crosswalk across Mass Ave in front of Johnston Gate. Instead, the council issued an order to put a sign telling motorists to yield to pedestrians at the crosswalk.

"We didn't want to put another stoplight because there are about four in a row there," said City Councillor Alice K. Wolf. "But now people don't stop when pedestrians try to cross."

"There will be signs [at Johnston Gate] and hopefully at some of the other crosswalks saying pedestrians have the right of way," Wolf said.

Wing and a Prayer

Hungry students across campus have a lot more to worry about these days than the resumed grind of second-semester classes. For those succumbing to the call of the late-night stomach rumblings, poultry products are no longer an option--at least for the time being.

"Hello, this is Wing-It," an answering machine announces to those calling 783-BIRD in search of the after-hours delivery service. "Well, we had a little grease fire and we're doing some rebuilding. We're going to be opening as soon as possible, so don't forget us. We're doing everything we can in our power to get this thing going again."

Until then, it's pizza, pizza and more pizza.