100 Days draws 650 students

By Margeux Clemmons     2/19/09 6:00pm

Last week's senior party, 100 Days, launched the countdown to graduation when 650 students, 150 more than last year, mixed and mingled on the dance floor at Club 26ten.Senior Committee Head Dylan Guyer said that the club was filled to capacity after selling all remaining tickets at the door.

"We sold 500 tickets pre-sale, which is pretty remarkable," Guyer, a Brown College senior, said. "My experience is that it's not very easy to get students to commit to doing something ahead of time."

Club 26ten was the largest venue the committee considered, Guyer said, attributing the high ticket sales to the party's established reputation and the committee's decision to advertise nearly one month prior to the event, as well as making tickets available through both college representatives and the Rice Memorial Center information desk. Guyer also mentioned that the committee's first-ever, pre-100 Days event, a toast held in Willy's Pub exclusively for seniors, generated additional interest in the party.

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Guyer said that while he was aware of minor incidents at 100 Days that caused damage, he believed they went unnoticed by students at the party. He said he did not want the mistakes of several individuals to overshadow the hard work of the 20 people who organized the event.

"One person broke a mirror in a bathroom, and he paid for it," Club 26ten owner Alper Sozu said. "It wasn't a big deal. We'd like to work with Rice University again, and we're happy they were there."

Sozu also said he was impressed by the level of safety at the event and thought bussing students back to the campus afterwards was a good idea.

Because they bring business to venues, the Senior Committee is often able to use spaces rent-free, Guyer said.

The ticket sales from 100 Days and the upcoming 50 Days party will fund the Senior Gala, set to be held between the last day of finals and graduation.

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