The first thing I noticed about Green Key was that everyone walked very, very slowly. I myself am a fan of the power-walk it grants the pedestrian a sense of purpose and is far more efficient. But this past Friday, Saturday and Sunday, it seemed that all foot travel slowed to a form of meandering. This change of pace provides students with an opportunity to reflect, relax and come together to reinvigorate a sense of pride and appreciation for the College and community.
This is not typical for most big weekends here. Homecoming in the fall was defined by the enthusiastic march of freshmen headed to their bonfire fate, and Winter Carnival was exemplified by light jog from the biting cold to shelter. Green Key, in contrast, was the absolute culmination of springtime, in which all of Hanover enjoyed the sunshine.
It's easy to stereotype Green Key as a weekend designated for students to abuse alcohol. There isn't a purpose classes are cancelled for no obvious reason, there are no College-sponsored festivals and Greek houses host all of the weekend's events.
However, even as a freshman here at Dartmouth, I can see that this weekend means more to our campus than drunkenly dancing outdoors to loud music. Undergraduates of all classes band together to enjoy the springtime weather and appreciate the institution we hold so dear.
The precise scheduling of this year's Green Key facilitates this it's the last weekend of spring term when students can (partially) ignore work. This upcoming weekend we have to study for the finals that we will be taking the weekend after. Green Key allows students to de-stress and let things go for a little while, which is important for Dartmouth students given the rigor of our 10-week terms.
It's also late in Spring term, which is meaningful for a variety of reasons. First, most other campuses have finished school for the year, allowing visitors to flock to Hanover to visit friends and family. My brother was here with me this weekend, which provided him with a great first look at Dartmouth.
On top of that, Green Key has been the epitome of my freshman year. With all my friends on campus, enjoying the wondrous weather (except that small bout of rain on Saturday morning) and spectacular live music, we were able to celebrate being at Dartmouth together. Green Key is among the final hurrahs for many seniors on campus and the weekend when we freshmen look to each other and say, "We're not freshmen any more."
Prior to last weekend, I wondered what exactly this previously enigmatic weekend could possibly entail that would cause so many students to be enchanted by it.
Even though I may still be considered a freshman in the eyes of administrators and upperclassmen, participating in events such as Green Key has shown me the strength of the Dartmouth community and the bond we share with each other.
This is not to say that throughout my time here I haven't been able to see bonds that we possess on this campus. In fact, quite the contrary. But Green Key was a weekend of elucidation about what this school and community is about.
The transition from cluelessness to eventual enlightenment throughout the course of this year has been a long stroll down a winding path into the upperclassman clique of the Dartmouth community. Now that we've made it through our first year away from home and participated in events and traditions that define the Dartmouth freshman experience, I no longer feel naive when discussing college life with my peers. Green Key, among other things, is a commemoration of our residence at Dartmouth. Absence of real purpose doesn't prevent us from uniting and experiencing collegiate life together. Green Key itself is the reason it's the motivation to go outside and join in the fun.
Individuals on this campus amble around on Green Key, whether inebriated or soaking in the springtime sun. But no matter the circumstance, it's definitely a nice change of pace.
