Spring has sprung here at Davidson, and we all know what that means: it’s formal season. Soon gaggles of girls and their dates will be loading onto those infamous Ragin’ Uptown buses and heading to the infamous Carrigan Farms Quarry. This beautiful location is the backdrop for Rusk, Turner, Connor, Athlete’s and Phi Delt formals. It’s lovely and always promises an amazing time, but it can be a dangerous game if you don’t know what you’re in for. But rest easy, Quarry noobs, because I have compiled a definitive Quarry Formal Survival Guide that if followed, we get you back to campus in one piece.
1. Find a date who’s friends with your friends and their dates. You will be spending the whole evening with your date and your friends, so be mindful of that when asking your date. You’re in for an awkward evening if your friends and their dates are all friends, but your date isn’t part of that. So don’t take the jerk you’ve been hooking up with that all your friends hate.
2. Don’t be afraid to take a girlfriend. If it’s crunch time and you can’t find a guy you want to go with, there is no shame in bringing a female friend who is in another eating house. No one will judge you, and you will have a blast.
3. Don’t wear stilettos. Navigating the sand beach at the Quarry will be a challenge in five-inch spike heels. Go with wedges or sandals instead.
4. Don’t wear Spanx. Yes, I know that Spanx work miracles and instantly make you look 10 pounds thinner, but you will be at the Quarry for a LONG time. You will be very uncomfortable a few hours in, and we all know that ditching your Spanx in the plush flush is not cute.
5. Charge your phone. Again, you’ve got a long night ahead of you. Leave campus with 100%, and you’ll be golden. You will have pictures galore, and you will be able to text your friends all the crazy stuff that happens
6. Don’t pregame. There will be plenty of liquid sustenance at the Quarry. If you arrive already drunk, thing will not end well.
7. Don’t be afraid to eat in front of your date. Like I said, the wine and beer will be flowing freely, so having an empty stomach at the Quarry is a no-go. Your date will understand because he/she will probably be pigging out, too.
8. Take pictures before it gets dark. The Quarry is a beautiful backdrop for pictures with your date, friends, and eating house family. If you time it right, you will get a sweet new profile picture or cover photo out of formal.
9. Establish a sober contact (with a car) back on campus. Imagine this scenario: you’ve been at the Quarry for three hours. You’re a little too drunk. You look at your watch. Two hours until the first bus leaves. Crap. This is when it is a good time to use that charged phone to call your sober friend back on campus to come get you. Promise to do the same for them when they have their formals.
10. In the words of Ellie Goulding, anything could happen. It’s gonna be a wild night, but it could also be the best night of your time at Davidson. Prepare yourself for anything and everything.
*HC Davidson abides by college policy and does not support underage alcoholic consumption.