Debunking The Myth Of The Quarry

The quarry, 113, and the misfortune of freshmen supposedly living in the era after the death of the Jug? When they aren’t making ominous YikYak posts about how freshmen are going to be blacklisted or how they can’t say the name of the mysterious underground sorority (yes, we all know what it is), upperclassmen do not truly know the secret lives of freshmen. 

A staple of Colgate’s freshman social scene, the infamous Quarry function, takes place behind the field of dreams, astonishingly close to the President’s house. Although the trek becomes particularly muddy towards the top, freshmen from all parts of campus are always willing to make the adventure through the grass fields, forest, and altogether consuming darkness to be pleasantly surprised by the final turn into the Quarry. 

Admittedly, the first night trying to find the rumored freshmen haven was a test of the survival of the fittest. Those who did not turn around were welcomed by an illuminating hope from distant firelight and far off chatter signifying they hadn’t hiked all for nothing. However, while one would believe the forlorn Quarry is far too niche and therefore untouchable by the lurking campo, the night of September 13 would beg to differ. 

Campo did, in fact, show up to dig out freshmen from the mud, the largest donors to the ever growing piles of cans next to the fire. Nonetheless, Campo’s discovery of the freshman underground kingdom could never mute the inner passion of Colgate’s class of 2029 to return to the Quarry. In fact, the Quarry has hardly ever seen better days than the weekends following the unfortunate uncovering! Truthfully, the magic of the Quarry stems from the fire, where freshmen light torches to spread the irradiating fire about, which often make for the best pictures. 

On doomsday nights where freshmen gather in the grueling, boiling basement of 113, one finds themself reflecting on the happy times spent in the Quarry. When crammed up against the humid walls of one of the most dirty basements on campus, one longs for the balance between the heat of the fire, the forest breeze, and the freedom of stepping into the outskirts of the forest.The combination of side quests to find a way up the rock wall at the back of the quarry, the view of the stars, the crackling campfire (from exploding cans in the fire), yes, this is what marks the freshman experience at Colgate in 2025. 

“Are you rallying for the Quarry tonight?” 

Personally, my answer will always be yes.

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