“The five of us remained very close as we were being pummelled with people during Freshman Week,” Stewart said. Eventually, the group of friends grew to include about 15 people, he said.

They endured the rigors of life in the Yard with ritualistic Monday night trips to eat half-price appetizers at John Harvard’s, Matic said.

“The weird thing about it is that we’ve remained best friends even though we all live in different dorms,” Stewart said. The group spans Hollis, Holworthy, Pennypacker, Matthews and Canaday Halls.

In preparation for the big morning, the group organized a sleepover in Matthews.

As the fateful hour grew closer, the group was apprehensive about the news.

“I won’t be excited when we get Currier in the morning,” Stewart said.

“When we get Mather,” Matic corrected him.

Some members of the group long to return to Kirkland, their first taste of Harvard during Fall Cleanup, Stewart said.

But other Houses are equally attractive.

“I’ve heard that Adams and Quincy bring you roses [if you get into their Houses]” Stewart said.

He was skeptical about the randomization policy.

“If it were random, why would they ask you your concentration?” Stewart said.

But as no member of the group is named Adam, Eliot or Lowell, he doesn’t believe tradition—real or imagined—will affect his group.

The group hopes the night will prove memorable.

“This is the highlight of my week,” Matic said.