It’s a time-honored, spit-ridden ritual. Each October, freshmen stream into the Quad under a full moon, seeking to be kissed by seniors and thus transformed into true Stanford men and women. Sophomores and juniors tag along for the ride because, well, who wouldn’t? Stanford conducted an unscientific survey of 44 students shortly after Full Moon on the Quad. Here’s what the data reveal:
Most Likely to Attend: That would be, of course, the freshmen. All of those surveyed made the journey to the Quad, and 67 percent puckered up.
Most Likely to Contract Mononucleosis: You might say it’s the senior class, which averaged 10.2 kisses per kisser, compared to the overall average of 6.5. Then again, it could be the sophomores and juniors, all of whose kisses were open-mouth.
Most Discriminating: The freshmen turned down almost as many kisses as they accepted. The older classes declined only half as many.
Least Discriminating: The seniors bestowed some 84 percent of their kisses on strangers. Maybe they were just doing their job.
All’s Fair in Love and Kissing: One sophomore pretended to be a freshman and a senior, presumably whichever was advantageous. And then there was a senior who masqueraded as a sophomore—perhaps to avoid a smooch?
P.T. Barnum Award: Again, the freshmen win. More than 60 percent of those who kissed at the event planted one on the Tree. Not a single upperclassman surveyed was lured into the evergreen embrace.
Bad Apples: The four students hospitalized and two arrested for alcohol-related reasons, prompting administrators to reconsider Full Moon’s future. These six missed the old lesson about ruining the event for everyone.
Most Popular Reason for Skipping the Event: “Because I’m not sketchy.” Indeed.
