As soon as October hits, students at Grinnell College begin to anticipate the excitement surrounding 10/10, one of the biggest campus parties of the year. Over the years, the event has grown considerably, to the point where almost half the school’s population participates, with the first of several climaxes being the “all-campus shot,” in which students take a shot of liquor at midnight on Mac Field.

This year, Dan Ehrlich and Carter Wiese (both ’14) are organizing the party, following in the tradition of having members of the ultimate frisbee team hosting 10/10.

“The idea behind throwing this party is that it’s a chance for campus to get together in a way we haven’t yet. People have been to Harris, but 10/10 is more about, in a lot of ways, getting to know lots of people. Because we’re all out there together,” Wiese said.

However, trying to control 800 students, many of whom may be inebriated, is no easy feat. In the past, students have been hospitalized due to over-consumption of alcohol, apprehended by the police and involved in altercations with the police.

“This year, like last year, we’re going to have party organizers and ACE Security ensuring that people who are crossing 8th Avenue to go towards Loose will not have open containers … also we’re going to do a better job of keeping trash together on Mac Field, like placing a lot of trash cans out there,” Wiese said. “ACE Security is also going to be helping out after the party ends. It’s our understanding that there are several after-parties and so we’d like to help make that transition as safely as possible for everybody.”

Safety and harm reduction are definitely key points that have to be addressed when talking about the amount of alcohol that will be present at 10/10. However, in the past few years, the party organizers have been more efficient about ensuring that there is a sufficient amount of water and food. They are also working to address the problem of overcrowding, especially in the lounges where the kegs are placed.

“We’re going to be splitting the party between Gates and Rawson this year, giving people twice the opportunity to get beer and hopefully encouraging a little bit more of people staying outside and more flow to prevent things from getting really congested at the entrance,” Wiese said.

The organizers stress that having constant communication with Residence Life and the Harm Reduction Committee is key in making sure everyone is safe during and after the party. However, it is important to note that ultimately, it is the students that are responsible for their actions.

As an alternative to 10/10 activities, there will be a screening of “Gravity” at the Strand at 8 p.m. free-of-charge for Grinnell students. The screening is organized by Weekend, the substance-free programming group. SGA Films will also be showing “Pacific Rim” at 4 and 8 p.m. in Harris Cinema.