FRESHMAN!

Waiting for the fresh cuts!

Freshman Friday is certainly a day of horror for newcomers in high schools that honor this tradition. Fearing lockers, toilets, and garbage cans, freshmen may attempt to hide from the upperclassmen bullies who take pleasure from their fright and embarrassment. It appears, however that such cruel rituals fade away in college, perhaps due to a change in students’ maturity and a new perspective on what freshmen mean to their school. Instead, freshmen are welcomed and are often given attention and guidance. Giving clubs, teams and other organizations the opportunity to expand, freshmen are also received warmly and treated with enthusiasm.

Despite this seemingly stark contrast between high school and college freshmen, the traditions that emphasize the rookie status of newcomers is inescapable. During my visit to Williams College last weekend, I watched a home football game against Wesleyan University. It did, however, lack the excitement that comes with tight competition. Wesleyan’s defeat was evident even in the second quarter, and a few spectators, including myself, left before the end. I was under the impression that the peak of the day’s thrills had been reached at the close of the victorious game. Although I had long been gone from the football scene, my best friend, Eilin, urged me to head back to the area near the field. “We know they won! It’s over!” I argued. I was too lazy to return to the other side of campus. “Come on, there’s something I want you to see over there,” Eilin insisted.

I reluctantly walked back with him, and stopped just a few blocks from the field, where a sizable crowd was gathered with flashing cameras. There was cheering and laughter, but for what? I wondered what was going on. After a couple of seconds, I saw a few of the football players in the center of the crowd. Their hair had been cut and shaved in various amusing designs. “Wow,” I said aloud. Suddenly, I heard Eilin burst into a loud and shameless guffaw. “Oh my god! That’s my friend … over there!” he cried in the middle of his hysterical laughter. I looked over, and sure enough, it was one of his friends from the football team. There were random patches of hair left on his head. It looked as if a monstrous little five-year-old had cut his hair with both eyes closed. I turned to Eilin, whose laughter had finally died down into a smirk. “Well,” he began to explain, “It’s a tradition that if we win the last home game, the freshmen players get the craziest haircuts while the town watches!” I must admit, I thought it was rather funny, but that’s when I realized that no matter where one goes, a freshman is still a freshman, even if he is a champ!