After a last place finish in 2011, Chaos Day represents a shot at redemption for Noordewier-Vanderwerp. Resident Assistant Nathan Groenewold has high hopes for 2012.

“We’re gonna win,” he stated confidently. “Leadership is pumped. We have a lot of people who are just going to go crazy.”

But his reasoning isn’t all hype. Earlier this summer, a white bison was born on a Connecticut farm. This is a one in 10 million occurrence and a symbol of good luck for Native Americans. Since NVW’s mascot is the bison, Groenewold is excited.

“This is the year of white bison,” he said. “We’re taking that as a sign that this is the year for NVW.”

But NVW isn’t without competition. Groenewold labelled 2010 and 2011 Chaos Day champion Beets-Veenstra as the dorm to beat. BV is going for its third consecutive Chaos Day victory.

“They have six massive extroverts [for RAs], so they are going to come out fighting,” he said.

But Groenewold is optimistic. In fact, he predicted that NVW would win both the championship and the coveted Cup of Perspective. No dorm has ever won both in the same year.

“There’s an unwritten rule that [a dorm] can’t win both,” explained John Witte, dean of residence life. “But it could happen. I’m not going to rule it out.”