Autumn is a beautiful season. It is filled with apple cider, cozy sweaters, new beginnings, pumpkin outings and feelings of warmth. The glow of summer lingers, but the anticipation of multicolored leaves and snow trumps the summertime light. We are lucky that Fall Weekend happened to occur in the midst of such resurgence – it is a time to celebrate past successes, but more importantly a time to look forward to all that is yet to come. The year has only begun; there is much to do and be thankful for.
Fall Weekend began on Friday, October 5 with registration and open classes for parents. It was a relaxing day, with parents and students milling around campus, happy to reunite with family after time apart. There were many smiles, and people seemed to be in happier, lighter spirits.
The day closed with a cappella concerts and a performance of the Theater Department’s “Q Brothers Shakespeare Project: A Hip Hop Experience,” a modern take on the Romeo & Juliet tragedy.
Charlotte Weber, one of the cast members of “Q Brothers” said of the experience, “The combination of learning an entirely new acting technique, four incredibly talented and motivated directors, ownership over an amazing script and everyone’s willingness to jump into whatever was thrown at us made for a magical experience unlike any other production I’ve ever been a part of.” It was indeed a performance to remember.
The next day held an energetic hum in the air. There were opportunities to meet with professors, sit in on lectures, watch athletic games and hear President Higdon speak. There was a picnic for lunch on Tempel Green (with beloved Camel cookies for dessert, of course), soon followed by Harvestfest activities put on by the Student Activities Council.
There must have been at least fifty tables crammed together underneath the big, white tent during Harvestfest – featuring clubs ranging from Ski and Rugby to Tae Kwon Do and Gaming. With an array of food, Camel paraphernalia and apparel, everyone wanted to get a chance to peek their noses in. Most pitched in to help run tables and buy merchandise – people were more than willing to give their time and effort on such a beautiful day.
The evening ended with a cappella concerts, another performance of “Q Brothers,” a showing of the popular Pixar film, “Up”, an Irish Music Ensemble concert, and an alumni dance. It was a late night, and Sunday morning came quickly, greeting the students of Conn College with a sunny day and a relaxing brunch before seeing the families off.
Overall, Fall Weekend was a true sensation with about 2,000 visitors, family, and alums coming to visit the campus. It is wonderful to see families come together from all over the United States, and even the world at large; it is easy to become wrapped up in our own busy lives – Fall Weekend reminds us of the more important things.
President Lee Higdon said, “I always look forward to Fall Weekend because it brings together all members of our community – students, parents, alumni, faculty and staff – to enjoy a broad array of events, lectures, performances, exhibits, athletics contests and, of course, Harvestfest. It gives us an opportunity to showcase our beautiful campus and the myriad components of a Connecticut College education that make this institution so distinctive.”
