High Bicker turnout bolsters club sign-ins for second round

Perhaps the most anticipated week in a sophomore's career came to a close Saturday as Bicker and sign-in clubs initiated their new members.

This eating club season reflected a change in students' preferences since last year. Students chose a large range of clubs to sign into last week, but like last year, all students who signed in second round got into a club or placed on a waitlist. The number of students bickering also increased substantially.

Cottage Club both attracted and accepted the most Bickerees, according to club officials. Cottage accepted 102 of the 168 students who bickered, club president Graves Tompkins '02 said. Last year Cottage accepted 94 of 144 Bickerees.

"[It was] a pretty explosive year. We had an incredible turnout, the highest in our club's history," Tompkins said. "With the higher numbers, we applied a stricter standard, and even so, we couldn't help but admit more people than we had planned on."

Cap & Gown accepted 84 students of the 158 who bickered, club president Jeremy Meserole '02 said. Last year a slightly larger number, 164, bickered the club.

Tower was more heavily bickered than in previous years, with 157 students bickering and 94 being accepted, according to former Tower president and Interclub Council chair Cindy Drakeman '02.

Noting that Bicker turnout was generally high this winter, Drakeman said Tower's "officers worked really hard this past year to think up new events that would attract more people and bring the members out."

With the large number of Bickerees this term, Drakeman added that the clubs worked hard to ensure that order was maintained and that there were "people on duty all the time to be sober and responsible."

Ivy Club attracted fewer members this term than last year, accepting 59 of the 110 students who bickered, club president George Nelson '02 said. Last year it attracted 145 Bickerees and accepted 65. It remained, however, the most selective club on the 'Street.'

Tiger Inn officers declined to comment on this year's Bicker session. But according to Alice Teti '00, the Interclub Council advisor, 95 students bickered Tiger Inn.

Reflecting on the entire session, Teti said she was "very proud of the members for keeping their celebrations under control."

Second-round sign-ins were also successful, she said, noting that everyone who signed in got into a club or was placed on a waitlist. All clubs except Charter, which filled up completely during the first-round, welcomed new members.

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Campus added eight new students to its membership, while 20 students signed into Quadrangle Club, according to the website of the Princeton Prospect Foundation, an organization which helps coordinate the activities of clubs on the 'Street.'

The website also indicated that Cloister welcomed 29 new members, while Terrace added 20 members with five on its waitlist. Colonial Club had 50 additional members sign-in, with 25 on its waitlist, said club treasurer and secretary Matt Peluse '02.

Including first round sign-in numbers, Charter begins the new term with 94 new members and 21 on waitlist. Terrace has 107 new members, with five on its waitlist. Cloister welcomed a total of 73 students, while a total of 92 students signed into Colonial, with 25 remaining on its waitlist. Quadrangle will have 48 new members in the term, and Campus will have 28 new students in the club.