“Stanford is very quirky, but like, in a good way,” said the ProFro (Prospective Frosh) I was hosting after a day full of Stanford festivities. They recalled HoHos (House Hosts) waving dorm flags in rally gear, the vibrant and distinctive Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band playing, and the Stanford Fleet Street Singers harmonizing about peeing in the shower.
Admit Weekend 2023 set a precedent for future Stanford Admit Weekends, being the first “normal” Admit Weekend where ProFros could stay in student dormitories since the Covid-19 pandemic. The class of ‘24, ‘25, and ‘26 were not able to get the full, or any, Stanford Admit Weekend experience. This year was a chance to revive one of Stanford’s most special traditions, but there were some challenges.
The Admit Weekend Team had difficulty finding RoHos (Room Hosts) this year. This could be due to the fact that those eligible to host did not have a full Admit Weekend experience; therefore, they might not have realized the significance of this tradition.
As a result of the lack of RoHos, many ProFros had to sleep in dorm lounges. However, some dorms, such as Larkin and Donner, were able to accommodate all ProFros and get them into a room. This did, however, mean that there was more than one ProFro in some rooms. My roommate and I were able to host two admits, and it was a very rewarding experience.
I could not attend Admit Weekend last year, and even those from the Class of ‘26 that could attend, could not take part in an integral part of the Admit Weekend experience: staying in the dorms. Since I could not participate during my year, I did not hesitate to apply when I heard that applications were open to support the 2023 Admit Weekend.
Being a House Host and Room Host during Admit Weekend 2023 was a very exciting addition to my Stanford experience. Not only was I able to take part in a tradition I had not experienced, I also got a really cute shirt that says “Welcome HoHome.” And who doesn’t love free merch?
Additionally, amidst the “Stanford Hates Fun,” movement, participating in Admit Weekend was a way to bring some of the fun back through traditions.
HoHos welcomed ProFros to Stanford, guided them through campus, and helped them find their RoHos throughout the entire weekend. Additionally, HoHos were able to plan an on-call for ProFros to get more of a sense of the Stanford dorming experience.
RoHos had a smaller commitment than HoHos, but seeing future Stanford students have an amazing time on campus was equally rewarding. RoHos provided hospitality to ProFros by answering any questions they had, letting them into dorms, and letting them sleep in their sleeping bags on the dorm floor. ProFros were not in the dorms for most of the day because they had fun events and programs lined up for them. In hosting ProFros, RoHos gave them a memorable experience that would make them want to participate in the next Admit Weekend when they are enrolled as frosh.
With Admit Weekend 2023 coming to a close, all those that participated by being a HoHo, RoHo, or in any other way, are able to say they were a part of keeping a special Stanford tradition alive that this year’s ProFros will hopefully continue.
Next year, more students should sign up to support Admit Weekend. This is one way the student body can contribute to a fun Stanford. Additionally, being a RoHo or a HoHo is a small time commitment that will keep Stanford traditions going. Not only is it a pretty great time, but it is also a way to warmly welcome new students to a place they will potentially spend the next four years of their lives.