Social Functions
The primary function of the eating clubs is to serve as dining halls for the majority of third- and fourth-year students. Unlike fraternities and sororities, to which the clubs are sometimes compared, all of the clubs admit both male and female members, and members (with the exception of some of the undergraduate officers) do not live in the mansion.
The eating clubs also provide many services for their members. Each club, in general, has a living room, library, computer cluster, billiard room, and tap room. Members frequently use club facilities for studying and socializing. Each club also has a large lawn, either in front of or behind the mansion, and on days with nice weather, one will often see Princeton students playing various sports, such as lawn bowling on club lawns.
On most Thursday and Saturday nights, the Street is the primary social venue for Princeton students, and each club will have music and/or various themed parties which are generally open to all University students, not just members. Friday nights are much more low-key at Princeton, and clubs that are open are usually open only to members. Some clubs require bow ties and suspenders for Friday night dinner. Each club also has semiformal events and formal dinners and dances.
Events are held annually at every club. These events include: Lawnparties, when clubs hire bands to play outdoors on their lawns on the Sunday before fall classes begin; Winter Formals, which take place on the last Saturday before winter break; Initiations, where new sophomore recruits are introduced to club life (usually in early February); and Houseparties, a three-day festival at the end of spring term during which each club has a Friday night formal, a Saturday night semiformal, a champagne brunch on Sunday morning, and another round of Lawnparties on Sunday afternoon. Notable artists who have played at Lawnparties in recent years include Wiz Khalifa, Beirut, Ben Kweller, The Roots, B.o.B, Citizen Cope, Eve 6, Fountains of Wayne, Günther, Howie Day, Jurassic 5, Lifehouse, Lupe Fiasco, Maroon 5, Matt Nathanson, MGMT, New Found Glory, Rihanna, Rooney, Sister Hazel, They Might Be Giants, and The Walkmen. Many bands, including Girl Talk and Vanilla Ice, have played at eating clubs for other occasions. On June 13, 1981, R.E.M. played its first concert north of the Mason-Dixon line at an eating club in Princeton.
Read more about this topic: Eating Clubs At Princeton University
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