Attending school in the middle of Maine is an incredible experience. I get to watch the changing of the leaves in the fall, take advantage of the Quarry Road ski trails in the winter, and enjoy the warm sun on Miller lawn in the spring. My friends who attend schools in big cities like Boston or LA often wonder what it’s like to go to a school in what they consider to be the wilderness. While swapping stories with one another, there are certain things that I constantly have to tell my non-Colby friends to help them understand the true Colby experience.
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Doghead. This St. Patrick’s Day tradition is one of the most noteworthy traditions on campus. Students party during the day and through the night with the same goal in mind: make it to the steps. Those who survive the night gather at the steps of Miller library to see the sun rise. It feels like the entire campus comes together on those steps and I’m reminded each year why I chose to attend a small school. See you at the steps.
[courtesy of Alexa Prouty]
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Bean Boots. Whether they’re paired with jeans in the freezing winters or shorts in the muddy springs, L.L.Bean boots are seen all over campus. Bean boots aren’t just a fashion choice, they’re a lifestyle.
[courtesy of The Gif Forge]
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COOT. The orientation trip in which first years are put into groups of 10-15 and are sent into the Maine outdoors with two upperclassmen called “COOT parents.” You really get to know each of your COOT siblings and parents during this trip since there are no cell phones allowed. Some students hardly acknowledge their COOT family after returning to campus, others find lifelong friends.
[courtesy of Gifer]
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Beer Die. Fun fact: this drinking game was created at Colby in the 70’s. Although no one really plays it on campus anymore, it’s cool to know that a country wide drinking game originated on our campus.
[courtesy of Barstool Sports Gifs]
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The Spa. This is not the kind of spa where people get massages or facials. Students come here for Take 4 lunches, Starbucks pick-me-ups, or to chill with friends. There are $2 ‘dilla deals that run 12 midnight to 2am most weekends, which are the perfect end to a night out. The Spa is a central building on campus, so it makes for a much needed warm up when walking from one side of campus to the other in the winter.
[courtesy of Giphy]
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Jan Plan. The one month of college when students have limited school work (only one class!) and all the time in the world.
[courtesy of Tenor]
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The definition of shorts weather. After long, zero-degree winters, students get excited when it finally starts to heat up. Fifty degrees may be light jacket weather for the rest of my friends, but 50-degree weather for Colby students means shorts and t-shirts.
[courtesy of EOnline]
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The Apartments. Every school has their designated party areas, and ours is a building full of apartments dedicated to seniors. Since senior IDs are the only ones that have access to the building, underclassmen are often banging on the front doors to get in. You’re almost guaranteed to find first-years wandering the halls aimlessly for an open apartment party at some point in the night.
[courtesy of tumblr]
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Waterville. This is the 15th most populated city in Maine, however, my friends seem to only know about Maine’s southern, coastal towns or Portland. A typical conversation about Colby’s location in Maine usually goes as follows:
“Colby’s in Maine, right?”
“Yeah, in Waterville”
“Is that close to Portland?”
[courtesy of WordPress]
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Attending the best school in the NESCAC. Beautiful seasons, incredible people, and lots of fun. What else could you want?
[courtesy of Alexa Prouty]
Consider that your Colby education.