I got back from Angola, via Kinshasa, Brussels, and Chicago to Boston just in time for my 5-year-reunion from Smith. My lovely friend and classmate Caitlin was kind enough to pick me up at Logan despite a several hour delay for the 1.5-hour drive to Northampton. We didn't mess around at all, meeting them right away for the. most. amazing. chicken. wings. ever. out our old favorite, The Toasted Owl.
We were up early the next morning for the Ivy Day parade. For those not familiar with Smith's traditions, Ivy Day is when junior ushers carry ivy trains (which the senior class plants to signify their lifelong connection to the college) and lead alumnae wearing white dresses and sashes in their class colors across campus. It starts with the oldest class at reunion and each class cheers for the others then falls in behind them until the seniors, also dressed in white and each carrying a red rose, fall in behind and enter the quad. Then there's a nice but extended awards ceremony and speeches and we sing the terrible alma mater and stuff like that. I swear to you that it is far less cheesy and much more fun than it sounds.
After the Ivy Day Parade, we revisited Wilder House, where we all lived at Smith and became friends.
After that we headed to Woodstar Cafe, the best sandwich place ever. I went for my usual, the Nantucket: turkey, cheddar, cranberry sauce, granny smith apple, mayo, and dijon on country sourdough. I cannot even describe to you the deliciousness of this sandwich. The company was fine, too, I guess.
And then I took a nap. I mean, dude, I just flew in from Angola. Besides, I needed to be awake for Illumination, the other great tradition of Smith's reunion/graduation weekends. It's fairly self-explanatory: they hang Japanese lanterns all over campus, a capella groups sing all over campus, and a Smith 2011 sign lights up on the island on the lake. It's beautiful.
Then we went out for burgers and called it a night.
The next day we skipped out on graduation (enough speeches at Ivy Day, thanks) and headed out to the countryside around Smith, where we wandered around a bit and then ate ice cream that literally came from this cow. It was delicious.
Then Caitlin went back to Boston and Tessa and Tom flew back to Seattle and Jess and I took the train back to DC because I had to work on Monday. But I may have been a little late on Monday morning. The end.
We were up early the next morning for the Ivy Day parade. For those not familiar with Smith's traditions, Ivy Day is when junior ushers carry ivy trains (which the senior class plants to signify their lifelong connection to the college) and lead alumnae wearing white dresses and sashes in their class colors across campus. It starts with the oldest class at reunion and each class cheers for the others then falls in behind them until the seniors, also dressed in white and each carrying a red rose, fall in behind and enter the quad. Then there's a nice but extended awards ceremony and speeches and we sing the terrible alma mater and stuff like that. I swear to you that it is far less cheesy and much more fun than it sounds.
After the Ivy Day Parade, we revisited Wilder House, where we all lived at Smith and became friends.
After that we headed to Woodstar Cafe, the best sandwich place ever. I went for my usual, the Nantucket: turkey, cheddar, cranberry sauce, granny smith apple, mayo, and dijon on country sourdough. I cannot even describe to you the deliciousness of this sandwich. The company was fine, too, I guess.
And then I took a nap. I mean, dude, I just flew in from Angola. Besides, I needed to be awake for Illumination, the other great tradition of Smith's reunion/graduation weekends. It's fairly self-explanatory: they hang Japanese lanterns all over campus, a capella groups sing all over campus, and a Smith 2011 sign lights up on the island on the lake. It's beautiful.
Then we went out for burgers and called it a night.
The next day we skipped out on graduation (enough speeches at Ivy Day, thanks) and headed out to the countryside around Smith, where we wandered around a bit and then ate ice cream that literally came from this cow. It was delicious.
Then Caitlin went back to Boston and Tessa and Tom flew back to Seattle and Jess and I took the train back to DC because I had to work on Monday. But I may have been a little late on Monday morning. The end.
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