Clark University

In Worcester, the freezing cold of winter can come much earlier than the actual snow, so when the first big snowfall does hit, everyone runs out to the Green to celebrate with a huge snowball fight. For some students, this is the first time in their life that they have seen snow, and the general feeling on campus is very happy and energetic. Look around campus the next day for some inventive snow sculptures.

Clark is trying to further strengthen the bond between students and the school. They are also trying to maintain that bond with alumni. To this end, Clark recently decided to create a “Homecoming” week that has special events pitting students against alums and students against students in a few lightly-competitive events. It gives the school an opportunity to show off its newly-built Dolan Field House and get reacquainted with the alums. It all culminates with a day-long carnival that includes food and whatever fun things that student council members can cook up.

Every month, Clark Hillel hosts a bagel brunch at midnight in Dana Commons or the caf. Different types of bagels, toppings, pastries, juices, and soda are provided on a first-come, first-serve basis. People start showing up well ahead of time, and the lines get very long. The bagel brunches are great places to meet up with people and have some fun in the middle of the night.

Each semester, right before finals, the entire campus is invited to the caf at midnight to be served pancakes, eggs, waffles, and other breakfast foods by the faculty. The food on this night is slightly better than normal, and it is one of the most anticipated events of the semester. The idea behind it is to give students some nutrition, as well as a little study break during one of their most stressful times.

Spree Day is a school-sponsored skip day full of campus activities, starting with a delicious brunch to start things right. The best part is that only student government knows when it will take place, but unfortunately, it is leaked every year. Knowing that the next day will be Spree Day and that classes will be cancelled, the Clark community treats the night before Spree Day as a weekend. Parties are thrown, bars are attended, and some students stay up all night long so they can be first in line for breakfast and wristbands the next day.

Senior week is a schedule of events meant to give graduating seniors an outlet for celebration. The events begin after the rest of campus goes home for the summer, and they run right up until the night before graduation. Pub crawls, baseball games, trips to Six Flags, and a harbor cruise around Boston are planned, among other things. The events are primarily for seniors, but many of them can be attended by underclassmen and guests. There are age requirements for some events, however. The week ends with another sub-tradition of Clark called Night Under the Stars. A tent is constructed on a field behind the president's house, and star shaped spotlights are hung up. Then, seniors, alums, faculty, staff, and any other Clarkies in the area come for some drinking, dancing, and socializing before the seniors have to wake up bright and early for the commencement ceremony the next day.

Every year at some point in April, Clark has its big year end celebration. They set up an outdoor stage on the Green and surround it by carnival rides, booths, food, and lots of liquids. Spree Day happens during the week, and classes are cancelled for the day. The day is planned by a committee whose job it is to book the bands, the rides, and the food, and then keep it all secret up until the morning of Spree Day. In fact, the actual date of Spree Day is supposed to be kept secret, as well. To that end, a sub-tradition of being woken up by pots and pans, loud screams, and air horns was initiated to let people know that Spree Day is not like any other day at Clark. Another sub-tradition of Spree Day is that many students use it as a day in which to get a drunk as possible. The administration has taken notice of this in recent years and taken steps to cap the binge drinking of the day. However, those reduction attempts have instead backfired, and Spree Day remains a tradition that is constantly threatened with cancellation. In the end, Spree Day isn't about drinking, though. It's not even about the food, or bands, or booths. It's about the Clark community all coming out together to have fun and celebrate in the sun with their friends. If you come to Clark, please protect Spree Day so that Clarkies can continue to enjoy it throughout the years.