Although it probably seems like much too early in the year to begin thinking about these things, the Housing Selection season officially began today with the release of next year's LLC Applications. Current upperclassmen will surely remember that traditionally, admittance into the preciously named Living-Learning Center has been highly competitive. The number of applicants rises higher with each passing year varies from year to year—in the past, there have been about 650 for 203 available positions, although last year applications dropped to 350 (thanks to our commenters for the correction!). Bwog wouldn't be surprised, however, if many of this year's potential applicants were put off by the fact that the process seems significantly more daunting than it has been in the past. The ten page application requires an astonishing five essays—which, if we remember correctly, is more than we had to write to get into Columbia in the first place.

Nevertheless, if past years are any indication, the process should be highly entertaining to observe. If you have any tales to tell about the lengths to which students will go to get in, or if you hear of any particularly amusing programming ideas being pitched by applicants—less "take the floor to the Met" and more "lock my suitemates into the walk-in freezer in John Jay and make them use teamwork find a way out"—we encourage you to let us know by emailing bwgossip@columbia.edu. And good luck, applicants!

From now until 5, every RA in Hartley and Wallach is giving out candy at their doors to trick or treaters.

Thanks Halloween for giving us another reason to visit the LLC besides getting that key replaced!

Free food from the Blue Key Society, right outside the LLC. We hear you can have chicken, mac and cheese, or fries. Get it while it's hot...

Update (1PM): The food is gone except for a bit of salad. But if you're a computer science major or can pretend you are, you can check out the free ice cream and burgers on the Hamilton Lawn...and the moustached magician throwing fire around.

The LLC: always a treasure trove of crazy shit.

First, Bwog ran across boxes begging for the anonymous return of John Jay plates, silverware, and salt and pepper shakers, like those boxes at summer camp where counselors told you to put your drugs when no one was looking, no questions asked. I mean, we all do it.

Then, Bwog noticed a little note scrawled on the corner of a poster calling out an ethnic slur. Surely, the best forum for fighting racism and intolerance in all its forms.

Finally, there is a couch in Hartley's fast elevator. Said a Bwog tipster at 3:30 AM: "I'm sitting on it right now...The absurd part is that I get wireless internet here, sitting inside this thick-walled metal box, and not in my room."