As we are almost at the end of our journey through sophomore year, I thought it comforting to reflect on the past. In this case, with May Day approaching, I decided to share my May Day vignettes from last year’s Grand May Day. I have segmented them into three post-snippets.
May Day is a Mawrter Tradition: It is always the first Sunday of May and is an unofficial goodbye to the seniors. There is maypole dancing, bouncy castles, caricature painting, and snow cones to be had. It’s essentially a big college-sponsored party where most students dress in white to celebrate the arrival of May.
Enjoy!
May 4th, 2014 (Grand May Day)
The Tea is Put to Boil (The Beginning)
“It’s Alice in Wonderland.” My supervisor at work told me the Friday before May Day.
“What?”
“The theme for May Day.”
“Oh…”
While May Day was said to be Grand May Day (it was even in the title), my excitement for it was ambiguous. I didn’t know what to expect and could only conjure up a lackluster imitation of genuine excitement. But…then I heard about the pocket watches, and it all changed. I had long yearned for a pocket watch the way an Englishman yearns for curry. To have it neatly delivered into my hands awakened a building internal pressure.
For I knew then that Grand May Day had laid out the cards and was set to fulfilled its title.
“Off With Their Heads!”
Strawberries and Creme for breakfast. Check.
A Parade with Jingling Dancers and Swordspeople. Check.
And a Horse and Carriage. Check.
Such were the inclusions on May Day. In the parade, President Kim Cassidy sat in a horse-pulled carriage while the Traditions Mistresses followed behind in white top hats. Arriving on Merion Green, we all watched as the seniors, juniors, sophomores, freshmen, and McBrides danced about their maypoles. The seniors danced with expert flair and, after mounting the stage, Kim Cassidy pronounced them the winners to the cheers and hollers of the gleeful crowd. She further stated, in true Lewis Carroll fashion, that from then on out everything was to be what it wasn’t so that nothing might be as it was.
Following her speech, the “May Hole” was laid out and after a brief respite, all tramped to Denbigh Green to form a circle. Yelling out, the circle disintegrated into a running crowd–everyone clamoring to get beneath the May Hole. Flower petals were thrown as “As Cool As I Am” played and Mawrters danced and sang along. Everywhere was white and arms and bright colors. Everything was a blast of shouted song, “I WILL NOT BE AFRAID OF WOMEN!”
