Dartmouth hosts the only "Green Key," but a big spring weekend is not unique to this campus. Students at other schools await and celebrate the coming of spring just like we do during Green Key weekend.
The University of Pennsylvania sponsors an annual Spring Fling. This year, Busta Rhymes performed at Penn's Franklin Field after students kicked off the celebration that afternoon with outdoor concerts and activities on the Quad.
During the evening, students ate free Philly cheesesteaks and enjoyed activities such as karaoke, hat making, candy art and laser tag.
"It's so different," said Dartmouth student Margot Langsdorf '05, who attended this year's Fling.
"Spring Fling reflects Penn as Green Key reflects Dartmouth," Langsdorf continued, explaining that the urban atmosphere made Penn's Fling more spread out than Dartmouth's Green Key.
"There isn't one party. There are like six different parties, and there are never a lot of people in one place," she said.
It was also fast moving, with events at multiple locations and lines where passes would be checked before students could enter Fling activities, she said.
All of this contributed to an experience that was less laid back than Green Key, Langsdorf said, even at Penn's parties where students aggressively sought alcoholic drinks.
"Alcohol was really hard to come by. The Penn kids would literally trample you to get to the keg. I should know. I still have scars," she said of her experience.
Yale also hosts a Spring Fling, which brought nearly 4,000 students to Yale's Old Campus on April 28. The afternoon activities began with concerts featuring local bands and activities including a moon-bounce and a bucking bronco. Later that night, students enjoyed a concert that included Nappy Roots and Wilco.
Organizers of Yale's Spring Fling were especially pleased with this year's weather after taking out an insurance policy to protect them if it rained.
"I really think Spring Fling went fantastically. I had no idea how many people would be there or the amount of fun and energy that it was," the Yale College Council president-elect Elliott Mogul '05 told the Yale Daily News.
At Brown, students take part in a series of parties and campus events during Spring Weekend, which took place this year April 10 through April 13. The highlight of Spring Weekend occurs as the Brown Concert Agency brings performers to campus. This year, the Wallflowers headlined a Saturday night show, which also included Lisa Loeb and Ozomatli.
The concert drew about 2,000 people from Brown and the community, noticeably less than the 2002 concert headlined by the Roots. The Brown Concert Agency attributed the decline in attendance to poor weather, which forced the show to be moved from the Main Green to an indoor venue.
Unlike other schools' spring weekends, Harvard takes a more family-friendly approach, opening up its Springfest to the entire community including professors and their children. Since last year, Springfest has been co-sponsored by the Undergraduate Council and the president's office. Free food and a G-rated carnival-like atmosphere define this Ivy League festival.
This year, a record 10,000 people affiliated with the University, including prospective students, enjoyed carnival rides, games and food while listening to campus musical groups.
