The Harvard student is a curious creature.

He hunkers down in a cubicle for much of his collegiate life, complaining about an inordinate workload and a lack of a social life.

But the 116th iteration of The Game, which takes place in New Haven tomorrow, presents the opportunity for even the most die-hard Harvard student to put on the appearance of being a die-hard football fan, if just for a few hours.

While the football teams for both schools no longer are among the cream of the country's crop, as they were a long, long time ago, the old rivalry still rekindles itself once a year with a fervor not seen the rest of the annum.

Posters and T-shirts suggesting various explicit, unnatural acts have surfaced around campus this week, bolstering a certain Crimson spirit by degrading the God-awful Eli fans and their Bulldog mascot. Unity through ridicule takes center stage this weekend, temporarily eclipsing unity through griping.

In an effort to promote active school spirit, the Harvard Undergraduate Council tried to coordinate informal athletic events with its Yale counterpart for students at both universities.

"We were going to have events like the PfoHo-Adams War, but it kind of fell through," said council president Noah Z. Seton '00.

As negotiations continued, Yale got out, much like Harvard students expect the Elis would like to get out of the dirty city in which they live.

"And just because it was getting down to the wire, we sponsored a bill" to declare war on Yale, said council representative Todd Plants '01.

"Ultimately, Yale backed down," Plants said. "They surrendered. We will be commandeering all of their land and facilities this weekend."

A certain segment of the Harvard population will not be making the conquest trip to New Haven.

Susie Y. Huang '02 is one of those who cannot get away from her studies. She has the misfortune of having two midterms today and two on Monday.

Forgoing the trip, Huang also has to give up visiting her twin sister, who attends Yale.

According to Huang, having a twin in New Haven causes some interesting family dynamics.

"We joke about it at home," Huang said. "My parents tried to tell me to go to Yale. They were like, 'The curve there is easier.'"

John P. Posch '01 has three midterms spread over Monday and Tuesday and won't be able to get away from the books.

"I am sorely pissed," said Posch, who is also a Crimson editor. "I resent each and every one of my professors."

But if there was to be a year in which Posch couldn't make it out of Cambridge, this is it.

"My good friend who is at Yale is actually in Lithuania right now, so it doesn't bother me much right now," he said.

And so it goes. But there's always next year.