It was everyone's unlucky day at the Office of Career Services (OCS) yesterday, where the miserable weather, uncooperative printers and academic work all conspired against seniors hoping to successfully navigate the recruiting process.

The future consultants and investment bankers faced a 1 p.m. deadline to turn in their packets of resumes and cover letters.

Each year about 700 seniors take part in the recruiting process. They submit their resumes to OCS, which passes them along to interested companies.

A majority of the companies operate under closed bidding, in which seniors use 20 points--of a total of 1,000--to submit materials. But adding to the recruiting stress, some companies accept open bidding, which means they only consider the highest bidding applicants.

Following is an account of the scene in the OCS basement before, at and after the 1 p.m. deadline.

12 p.m.

A troupe of frazzled quadlings boards the shuttle bus. As it careens through the drizzle towards the Square, one rider becomes choked up as she tells her friend how her life--with a formal to plan, a thesis to write and cover letters to complete--is coming apart.

Her friend reminds her compassionately that you "can still ditch your thesis and graduate General Studies." It doesn't help.

12:10 p.m.

There is a small, orderly line at OCS. These seniors are quiet and drowsy. Gloria Milstein, the assistant director for recruiting, is helping them organize their packets correctly.

A physics concentrator from Dunster who has just handed in his applications says he "finished at 8:30 this morning, but there were printer problems." Asked to name one thing about himself that doesn't appear on his resume, the would-be technical consultant said he did not include his height and weight.

He refused to give his name and

He refused to give his name and did not offer his height or weight.

12:20 p.m.

The line in the basement is growing longer, and more students are stepping in and out to sign that last cover letter or re-organize their packets.

Naomi S. Stern '97, who is just about to bound up the stairs to leave, says she finished her materials "an hour ago." Her strategy was to bid 940 points on one open-bidding company and apply to three closed ones.