Shen Olympics: A Shen-sational Tradition

A heads up: those who want to enjoy a nice, quiet, relaxing dinner in the dining hall tonight had better eat before 5:30 p.m. -- tonight is the Shen Olympics.

The Shen Olympics is a tradition that goes back at least 14 years. It begins with a dorm-wide dinner before residents return to Shenawana Hall for a night of nonstop sports and games that lasts until 1 a.m. Over 100 residents will compete both as individuals as well as with their floors in a wide range of events, some physically demanding, some fun and silly.

According to Shen's president, sophomore Nathaniel Efthimiou, the purpose behind the Olympics is "to help build a stronger camaraderie within the hall." Vice president, sophomore Taylor Wilding, pointed to the competitive nature of the event and said, "The areas of strength, will, endurance, and the gift to keep food down are all being tested." Junior Scott Martens, RA, sees the Olympics as an encapsulation of the dorm's three core values: strength, brotherhood, and honor.

"By competing, we are showing the men in Shen what some of our strengths are; it builds brotherhood by allowing us to compete as brothers in a respectful and godly manner, and finally winning honor for your floor by competing and winning events," he said.

The specific elements of the Olympics have always been a closely-guarded secret. According to RA Christian O'Lone, sophomore, "It's kind of like rites of passage -- not sacred, but secretive in a good way." While the mystery surrounding the Olympics can and does boost solidarity within the dorm, it can be a source of confusion and frustrationfor the rest of the campus, as they simply may not understand what goes on during the festivities.

"I think most people don't know much about it or what happens," said Steve Mattiace, Resident Director. "There are probably a lot of misconceptions, some possibly founded in false rumors, while others might be from things that have happened in the past." Martens seemed to agree, but was quick to point out how things are changing. "I think in previous years the information that has gotten out about it has painted Shen in a negative view," he said. "Personally, I have been working to try and change the negative perspective the Olympics have on campus, because honestly, it is a dorm of guys having a blast for a night and creating memories."

It is no secret that Shen has sometimes struggled with a less-than-stellar reputation. In a campus-wide inside joke comparing Houghton's dorms to the four Hogwarts houses, Shen is compared to the infamous Slytherin. There are any number of stereotypes that poke fun at the dorm's old age, physical distance from the rest of the campus, rowdiness, and distinct fragrance, but its devoted residents are not fazed at all.

"I have always felt like we have been the old smelly dorm on the hill, but I am proud to call Shen my home," said Martens. His sentiments are echoed by the hundreds of Shen Men who have lived in the dorm over the decades. And in recent years, Shen has done much to clean up its image, especially in its relations with Roth.

"The comparison conversation is silly to me," said O'Lone. "They are very different atmospheres and both with strong and weak points." One almost never hears a Roth vs. Shen wisecrack anymore, and last semester both dorms held a joint Advent communion service.

Shen's LC, RD, and RAs have been hard at work in preparing for tonight's event, tweaking and retooling as needed.

"We've worked really hard to keep the time events moving and eliminate dead space where nothing was happening during the night," said Mattiace. "Also, we've worked to ensure that the events add value to the night, rather than just being there for the sake of having events. Finally, we consistently changed the event line up based on previous success, removing things that didn't function well the year before, and trying new things every once in a while." With the dorm's strong leadership and faithful residents, it looks as though tonight's Shen Olympics will be a night to remember, as it has been in years past and will be in years to come.