"Head of the Charles has actually become a drag, because the University cracks down on organized, fun activities" such as house parties, says senior Joshua Salomon.

Senior Beth Johnston considers the restrictions an unnecessary hassle. "It's dumb, all the bureaucracy they have. It's going to be crazy anyway, and it just doesn't make sense," Johnston says.

A number of students, however, say the restrictions help keep the campus under control.

"It's better than having security problems, with all of those criminals from that Yale place coming," sophomore Christina Ho says.

Sophomore Jeannette Vargas says that therestrictions are not quite enough. "I was walkingfrom the Yard to Eliot [last year], and I had topractically wade through beer cans," she says. "Ifthey're going to come, that's fine, but if they'regoing to destroy our campus, I'd rather they juststayed home."

Regardless of the restrictions, studentscontinue to flock to the Head of the Charles,making the weekend one of the busiest of the yearon the Harvard campus.

"It's kind of fun that everyone invades,"sophomore Noah Selsby says. "It gives friends ofmine from other colleges excuses to visit me."

Freshman Stephen Phillips is looking forward tohis first Head of the Charles with an open mind."The more people, the merrier," he says.

Others don't quite see it that way. For them,the October tradition is more a hassle than acause for celebration.

"I think it's a terrible idea," senior SylviaPaisons says. "Living by the river when I'm tryingto write my thesis is an awful thing."

Senior Ciaran Powers, who will row on Harvard'sheavyweight crew, enjoys participating in theraces themselves, although he misses a large partof the weekend's festivities.

"I really don't get to relax," he says. "Thepartying is actually kind of annoying, because I'mtrying to sleep before my race."

No matter how hard they try, most studentscan't avoid the weekend's events.

"Even if I stay in my house, I'll be there,"says senior Paul Secunda, a resident of EliotHouse. "It's a mob scene. It's almost too much. Ican't really avoid it.