Post-color madness. I borrowed this from Jonathan Edelman, who was sweet enough to document all the fun that occurred at Spree Day. More here! http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152742714600177.1073741827.598415176&type=3
This past week has been a big week here at Clark. We just wrapped up this year’s final admitted students open house, and those are always so much fun, especially now that decisions time is only a few weeks away. There’s a beautiful change in the nature of campus visits between December and January, because students change from having to prove themselves to colleges to making the colleges prove to them why that college is the best choice. I always love the open houses because I like to think of how my perception of Clark would have been affected if I had the opportunity to attend one as a perspective student. To the rising high school juniors out there who are going to apply to schools soon, I urge you to attend any type of open house-like event that your potential college throws together, because, at least here at Clark, the open house events are a wealth of knowledge and opportunity. The admitted students open houses that Clark throws together are truly unbelievable; prospective students get the opportunity to sit in on mock classes, take tours, eat in the dining halls, explore campus, stay overnight in the residence halls, and attend a club fair represented by over 120 of Clark’s student-run clubs and activities.
My favorite part about the open house events is that Clark always puts international flags in Red Square, the heart of campus. It’s a reminder to everyone, whether they be a current Clark student, or a potential student, or a recently committed high school senior, local or international, that Clark emphasizes the importance of international diversity and cultures.
A few days before open house, on Wednesday, Clarkies spree-nthusiastically celebrated Spree Day, a day where all classes are cancelled and students spree with glee all over campus. Laughter is abundant, joy is everywhere, and a good time is completely unavoidable. My spree day started at 6:09 AM, when a parade of seniors stormed through my residence hall with pots and pans. Even though I knew it was coming, it was still a little bit scary; they caused quite a racket. After the not-so-pleasant wake up call, everyone was shepherded to the cafeteria for breakfast and bingo, where people won all sorts of exciting goodies, like airplane miles and an iPad. I’m usually a big fan of bingo, but I decided to skip spree bingo because I usually get far too invested in bingo games, and I didn’t want to deal with bingo frustrations on my very first spree day.
Instead I went outside, where a jello pit and an inflatable bull had already been set up. Throughout the day, more exciting things showed up, like some sort of harness-trampoline-backflip contraption, ice cream trucks, and CHIDDY BANG. No big deal.
Except it totally is.
My favorite part of spree day was the color wars, where students were handed a sandwich bag filled with color pigment and instructed to throw it at their peers. Don’t even try to tell me that doesn’t sound like a good time. It was all the fun of the color run but without the hassle of running five kilometers. Exercise is hard. My only regret about running through clouds of colorful pigment is that it stuck really well to the jello that had been smeared on me by a friend who had just emerged from the jello, and it was all really hard to get off at the end of the day. It took several showers to get all of that color off, and I felt like one of the blue people from Avatar (not the Last Airbender one) because my whole face was blue.
Spree day reminded me a lot of my high school’s senior fun day, but way more fun and with people I like a whole lot better. I’m really excited for spree day next year with all the new students coming into the Class of 2017!
Clarkies pumped for some music! http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152742714600177.1073741827.598415176&type=3