Forget mid-terms and plans for spring break. First-years had other things on their minds yesterday.

In dorm hallways throughout Harvard Yard yesterday morning, students gathered with their blockmates to find out where they would be living for the next three years.

The second year of randomization for Harvard first-years resulted in a surge of rising Kirkland sophomores (a record high 145) and surprisingly few Quincy admits (127). As usual, the female/male ratio for most houses reflected the 45/55 percent breakdown of the first-year class, with Mather, Adams, Winthrop and Dunster houses all receiving the largest proportions of males.

The number of incoming first-years placed in any given house reflects the number of outgoing seniors.

"Every third year, we have a small class," said Quincy's Assistant to the Master, Suzanne Watts. "This year's was one of the small ones."

Many students expressed feelings of powerlessness because of the process' randomness; the class of 2000 is only the second class to be housed randomly.

Others said they felt they could exert some control over their destiny.

Inspired by Professor James Kugel's description of ancient Canannite appeasement sacrifices in Literature and the Arts C-37: "The Bible and Its Interpreters," Adam G. Kosberg '00 "sacrificed" homemade voodoo dolls into the Charles River at midnight Wednesday to placate the "Quad Gods."

"My friend started this tradition last year, and ended up in the most beautiful suite in Leverett, overlooking the footbridge where we had appeased those fickle Radcliffian gods," he said.

Kosberg and his blocking group also were placed in Leverett.

Other blocking groups participated in more mean-spirited fun.

According to Aziz F. Rana '00, his friends in Matthews handed him a fake white envelope early yesterday morning bearing the officially printed "Welcome to Currier."

"I think that prank jinxed us," Rana said. "Two hours later, not only did I really get into Currier, but so did the author of the prank."

Regardless of whether first-years spent pre-decision day praying, holding seances or partying, most woke up early, on the look out for the legendary housing heralders.

"I was awakened around seven by the excitement," said Joey J. Lee '00. "Everyone was making phone calls to their blocking groups."

While the Yard inhabitants received their housing between 8:30 and 9 a.m., Union dorm residents had to wait until 9:20.

"We had look-outs watching the housing people move from Hurlbut to us...we were all dangling in the staircase, it was really fun bonding," said Rebecca P. Brown '00, who will reside in Adams house next year.

At lunchtime, first-years were met at Annenberg by screaming upper-class students distributing candy and T-shirts to welcome first-years to their house.

Representatives from the Quad houses said they were particularly spirited while greeting the first-years because they thought their enthusiasm was needed to console many first-years.

"Last year, I was so upset to be put in Pforzheimer," said Jessica T. Tardy '99. "I want to let [first-years] know how much I love it now."

This enthusiasm was not enough to raise the spirits of some students, however, who expressed concern over the apparent lack of enthusiasm displayed by some of the houses.

House spirit, according to Kirkland prefect Layla D. Adolphson, '97, is one sacrifice of the randomization process.

"Before, everyone who is was in Kirkland specifically wanted to be there," Adolphson said