With the semester coming to a close, there are a few things to take note of here...clearly the most important being that it's time to take advantage of the circuit of holiday events. Now that you're a senior, you know what to expect when it comes to holiday fun on campus; where you like to party, when it's appropriate to show, and how extreme to get. For instance: the senior holiday cocktail party was, on a scale from one to 10, one being the least extreme, probably about a two. Still, I'd like to recognize the advantages in taking a night like that a little easier, perhaps without the full force with which you might proceed to the last pub night of the semester, or to the junior-senior ball (which I will get to in a minute).
Perhaps the best part of a more dignified, senior-class-sponsored event, like our cocktail party, is that we meet new people?or people you might have seen everyday in your classes for the past three years, but finally when you come together with the explicit goal in mind to celebrate your senior class (at least that's the suggestion on the invitation), not to mention the added benefit of having a little champagne to get the conversation flowing, now you can actually learn the name of the kid who sleeps?I mean sits?behind you every Tuesday and Thursday in your government class. And because you didn't get too extreme, you actually remember it the following Tuesday.
Holiday party time obviously has the potential to jeopardize a decent GPA, but as seniors, I'd like to think we have our priorities intact, or at the very least are subject to make significantly fewer poor decisions as we did our freshman or sophomore years here. For instance, though we have the privilege of a good Tuesday night scene at Joshua's, we might forgo a slower Tuesday night in favor of the bigger parties: No longer tempted to attend any and every social event, we can make educated decisions about which event to invest our time and energy?parties with a dance floor have the potential to reach epic proportions that a mid-week jaunt at the bar simply can't.
With this in mind, I'd like to quickly review the junior-senior holiday ball as a night where epic-ocity reached all time highs for the semester. Not only do we get to see everyone dressed in his or her finest holiday formal wear, but even more of a treat is to watch the classic juxtaposition of the situation unfold. Of course, its always entertaining to watch a friend kick back a few too many and let things get a little crazy, the added bonus of watching a friend do it in their formal wear gives this night a bit of an edge.
There's a bit of disconnect in the whole scene that makes for a great party. I'll break it down for you: Where else can you get dressed up, booze in your dining hall (and, if need be, boot and rally), all in time to get back on a dance floor that is oddly where you were casually grabbing Saturday morning brunch only a few hours earlier? It only happens a couple times a year, and in this case, it's your last.
This being said, it's also an important time of our academic year. With finals on the way, or already underway, it might seem like you'll never get out of the library, and with the daily printer crisis, if you do, you're likely to leave without the paper or reserve reading you needed anyway. Still, remember that we're in it together, and just as we seniors know how to party, I also like to think we have a better understanding of our studies and how to navigate the various study spaces available. In short, when it comes to the library, we know the lay of the land. First floor: obviously social (note: right side even more than left, so choose wisely). Second floor: The senior carrel scene is taking off and if you have your name on one, you're on your way. Third floor: pretty serious studier, you're getting things done.
Then it gets progressively worse. Electronic classroom: Either you're desperately avoiding the tempting applications of your own computer and really getting some work done, or you're seeking salvation in the basement printers, where malfunctions are usually kept to a minimum and noise is at an all time low. Still, I'd rather be in just about any of these places than in the stacks: only for real work. Really, chances of being social in the stacks are about as likely as a Popham beach day in December. Still, it's not all so hopeless. By now we're all pretty familiar with the whole finals and reading period deal. So, work hard, play hard. Finish the semester on a high note and if you're stuck in the library on a Saturday night, add "Jingle Bell Rock" to your play-list, avoid the printers, and hope you're out in time for the after party.