Bard College

Sign up for Assassins and you get two things—a water gun and a human target. Steeped in a thick mix of paranoia and adrenaline, Bardians sneak through campus in search of their assigned victim, all the while wary that they themselves may be being tracked. Lots of watery eliminations and clandestine assassinations lead to the elimination of all but one—the crème de la crème of Assassins and the recipient of a $500 cash prize.

Bard’s most notorious rival on the rugby field is none other than NYC’s Columbia University, hated for their arrogance, admired for their composure, and feared for their hard tackling. Once a year, Columbia comes to Bard, in order to take on our hometown heroes, all while onlookers publicly castigate them for their allegedly unapologetic Republicanism. Further fueling the rivalry is the somewhat arcane fact that, back in 1860, it was none other than Columbia that founded the fledgling Bard College. Bard-Columbia games today embody some strange sort of perpetual revolution; Bard’s sustained breaking-away from its overbearing mother-university.

Come Spring Fling, Bard bands gather outside for a day-long festival of music. The school’s most talented musicians get a chance to show off their skills, playing everything from jazz to rock to techno, as students lounge on the lawn and peruse the ad hoc vendor stands. A fun day in the sun, Bardstock has become one of the most highly-anticipated events of the year.

Each autumn, the student body convenes at Kline Commons to discuss how this year’s student budget will be allotted. Adhering to the most democratic methods currently available, student clubs are allowed to state their case in front of the rest of the school, demanding a certain (typically small) percentage of the total funds in order to pursue their own club itineraries. The more convincing their presentation, the more money they receive. The Budget Forum has become known for its wacky club proposals, its unpredictable arguments, and somehow, for its inordinate amount of mass alcohol consumption. It’s not uncommon for clubs looking for a little extra cash to put on extravagant pre-planned performances in hopes that they might sway the student government into hooking them up with enough money to operate effectively for the rest of the year.

The tail-end of October marks Coming Out Week, a seven day series of events organized by Bard’s Queer Alliance designed to encourage gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer-identified, and trans-gender students to openly embrace their sexuality. Bardians can attend movies and lectures exploring issues related to coming out.

What’s the best way to unwind during finals? Most Bardians would suggest eating a ton of eggs and bacon and then getting up on stage and belting out a classic pop song a la karaoke. Midnight Breakfast gives everyone a chance to eat a late night meal and take their mind off theirs exams; it’s thus easily found a 12 a.m. spot in Bard’s long lineup of traditions.

Each year, seniors and moderating students in the Division of the Arts present their projects to the rest of the school. Films, dances, music ensembles, and studio art shows bring in hundreds of art-hungry Bardians eager to digest the year’s crop of productions. During this week, artists advertise heavily for their shows, drawing up posters and tacking them all over town. A rich Bard tradition, this time provides attendees with a vivid understanding of just how much work goes into choreographing a dance or filming a full-length movie, or the extent to which art majors go to perfect their paintings and sculptures.