Despite the unsightly scaffolding surrounding the outside of the Campus Center, the inside seems to be off to an impressive new start. On Thursday, Sept. 5, students lined up to have their names analyzed on colorful sheets of paper. Many overlooked the man sitting behind a cardboard desk entering names into a computer that printed their roots, origins and meanings.

Others took advantage of the opportunity, relishing the thought that their names could reveal their characters and personalities. "It was so true," said Claro Nunez '03, "especially the part where it said I am destined for high office and that I am loved by everyone."

The general consensus was that it was "cool." "It was cool that the school decided to do it," said Jiovani Visaya '05. Yvonne Chan '04 echoed Visaya's approval. "I liked it. It was cool. Not all things have to be academic," said Chan. "I'm going to sound like an airhead."

Even a freshman, Elise Chad '06 said, "It was cool." She added, "I don't think it was a waste of money."

Cool.

Lackluster luau

The first TAP of the year boasted mixed reactions. Getting leid and wet this past Saturday at Luau involved, according to Jack Greeley '06, "a lot of fun, lots of music [and] I had a pretty good time." Yang Cao '06 disagreed. "There was a little too much drinking," she said. "I didn't think it was as much fun as I was told. I was a little bit disappointed. It wasn't as much of a party as a drunkfest."

Some individuals were upset over the goldfish swimming around in the kiddie pools. "There was no place for goldfish at the luau," said Ana Mocanu '04. "I thought it was disrespectful for life." After the luau had ended at about 3 a.m., she and her friends attempted to save the goldfish from the urine-infested water and the mouths of drunk party-goers. "We got big bottles of water and we put the one hundred or so goldfish into the bottles and then put them in a clear drawer I had bought." Thankfully, the goldfish are recuperating. "They're okay right now," said Mocanu.

Senior veterans added their two cents. "Well, I'd say it was pretty much the same compared to other luaus," said Daniel Cho '03. "People were standing around chillin'. It was like an orientation event disguised as a party. It was so-so but, then again, that's the only time I went 100 percent sober."

Jannah Manansala '03, who had been studying in Hawaii the past year, added, "People chillin' ... that was the only Hawaiian thing about it."

Five for freshmen

Sunday night, the lobby of Converse Hall, usually abuzz with nothing more than economics class murmurs or Austin Sarat's voice carrying out of one of his Red Room lectures, was roused with the sounds of the singing College's five a cappella groups, giving their annual freshman concert.

Route 9, the College's youngest group, set the high-energy tone for the night, leading off with Ben Harper's "Steal My Kisses."

DQ's clever, Austin Powers-inspired skit demonstrated once again that, perhaps only at Amherst, even jokes about smallpox can get a decent laugh.

"[I thought that] DQ was the best," said Nick Doty '06. "They had the most musical ability and they were pretty funny, too."

"Finally," said Mike Kohl '06, after the Sabrinas, as well as other groups, sang in the dormitories, "girls on the first floor of North."