It is the last week of classes, and the highly anticipated “crush lists” are starting to be posted on the Proctor bulletin board and in the entrance to Ross. There, seniors list their past indiscretions and their plans for future ones. Yet not all ‘love’ at Middlebury is reserved to late-night hook-ups and pinings from afar.
There are plenty of things to love about Middlebury that don’t include walks of shame and awkward dining hall interactions. Whether you are celebrating your last week or your fourth-to-last, embrace Middlebury’s quirks and idiosyncracies. Just don’t get crushed.
Close Encounters:
Weridos: Only in college will you be able to wear that strange outfit and still have friends or ride vehicles with odd numbers of wheels. Embrace it while you can.
Sidewalk friends: “I don’t care who you are, where you’re from, what you did, as long as you…” smile at me on the sidewalk.
Gifford make-out lounge: Wonnacott’s best kept secret. Built for clandestine fun, but make sure you’re clothed by the time custodial comes around.
Dining:
The Grille: Where the going-out and the stressed-out meet to bond over Dr. Feelgoods and cheesy fries. Bonus points if you take someone to The Grille and then take them home.
The Old Chicken Parm (RIP): Your deliciousness created lines out the door of Ross dining hall, but you were always worth the wait. Grilled chicken in tomato sauce will never get this reaction.
Sunday Brunch: Made to order eggs and waffles and rehashing last night’s adventures — what could be better?
Last Day of Classes BBQ: Delicious food, sunshine and the beginning of a weekend of pretending that exams aren’t in the near future.
Juice at Dinner (RIP): But really? Juice is a staple of a well-rounded diet, even at dinner.
Town Chili Fest: The way to a lover’s heart is through their stomach.
Otter Crew Brewery: We love your samples and your sales.
Trays (RIP): You may have been an unnecessary luxury, but love isn’t supposed to be practical
A&W: Two letters can mean so much on a hot spring day.
Parties:
Naked Lap: Whether it’s 3 a.m. or 3 p.m. during a darty, everyone’s a winner even if you’re having a losing “streak.”
Purple Jesus: Band in the basement and mysterious beverage: debauchery ensues.
Flannel/Neon/Ski-themed parties: Dressing in costume: seemed like such a good idea the night before.
"The Bar": Sometimes you just have to go with the only one available. Plus you always know what you’re doing on Thursday night.
Lake Dunmore: There’s nothing quite like trespassing on state park property with a wiffle ball bat, a 30-rack and about 50 of your closest friends. See “First day of spring.”
Darties: The unique-to-Middlebury term for day drinking, most frequently observed on special occasions, such as St. Patrick’s Day, Derby Day, Winter Carnival, birthdays and throughout Senior Week.
Academics:
Study Abroad: The only Middlebury experience that no one can find the words to describe.
Thesis Carrel: Every thesis writer needs “A Room of One’s Own.”
Late professors: The anticipation of possibly missing class sets many hearts aflutter, even if you could have skipped the 40-person lecture anyway.
Advisors: Whether or not we actually visited your office, it was nice to know you were there.
First-year seminars: An interesting topic, a new place, a room full of eager young faces. It’s the first community you establish at Middlebury, even if it only lives on in awkward waves and smiles.
Dinner at professor's house: (Non-dining hall food + not being in a dorm) x free drinks = true love.
Events:
The Snowbowl: When people question why you wanted to go to a small town college in Vermont, just tell them you have your own mountain.
Square Dance: Thank you, Middlebury, for facilitating my first of many flannel-clad hookups.
Orange Crush: The most colorful crush we have. Who doesn’t love the opportunity to wear neon spandex.
Otters: Even if you never go to this improv group again, don’t miss the April 20th show. A sense of humor is sexy.
Winter Carnival: One of Middlebury’s few campus-wide traditions.
Outdoors:
First day of Spring: Even though it’s only 42 degrees, everyone is wearing shorts, flip-flops and a smile.
Snake Mountain: You don’t have to be in the Mountain Club to enjoy this hike, but don’t go on a Friday night unless you bring a date.
First Snowfall: Especially when there’s someone from Hawaii in your class, the excitement is contagious. Forget classes, forget work! There are snow forts to be built. No matter how stressed you are, walking out of Proctor and getting a snowball lobbed in your face (or someone else’s face) can brighten your day — especially during the first snowfall.
Sunset at the organic garden: Pretend to be a Vermont hippie, even if just for one warm spring night.
Twilight Swing-set: You’ll never be too old to walk past a swing set and feel compelled to stop. It also makes for a fun stop on the way home from the bar.
Middlebury Crush List: Reasons to Love Middlebury
Comments
