Every college has its own unique culture, and sometimes, it takes a while to figure out. I informally polled my senior friends, and here are sixteen ways that you know you’re an upperclassman at Gettysburg College.
- You’ve Memorized the Servo Menu
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You know about waffle night, BLT night, ribeye night, enchilada night… you can feel them in your bones. With enough time, you’ll begin to sense it. One day you’ll wake up and think, ‘Hey, it’s Jack Daniels Meatless Boneless Wing Day. I should get to Servo before 11:30. How do I know this?’
- Regina: No Elaboration Needed
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If you don’t know who Regina is, do you even go to Gettysburg? She is the kindest person in the world. Regina for President. Regina 2020.
- You Hoard Bullet Meals on Sunday
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By the time you’re an upperclassman, you should have the meal periods memorized and always know how many meals you have. You probably have a Sunday night ritual where you spend your extra meals at Bullet and hoard them in the fridge like a dragon, right?
- You Plan Servo Thanksgiving Months in Advance
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You know which of your friends is waiting in line for five hours, and you have the cozy attire to wait out the procrastinators. If you’re a senior, you’re probably first in line for Servo Thanksgiving. You know who’s carving the turkey, and you’ve carefully chosen which friends to sit with.
- You’ve Given Up on Losing the Freshman 15
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Most people don’t leave college with the same physique that they entered with. That’s fine; we’re all beautiful in our own way. Considering that every item my friends have recommended that I put on this list has been about food, I take it that this is a somewhat universal experience.
- You Remember the Old CUB and Bullet
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Old CUB was small, but it was cozy and warm, and it wasn’t all painted grey. Remember when Bullet was a hole in the wall that only a dozen people could fit in at a time? Remember that cozy, lime green seating area? Remember how Bullet burgers used to be a religious experience? Don’t get me wrong –I love being able to actually find a seat in the CUB– but I miss the coziness that accompanied its old design.
- You Remember the Old Junction
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You know how when you enter the CUB, you turn left and there’s an elevator? There used to be an amazing, dank world down there, with a piano and a bowling alley. On a regular day, it was an absolute mess, but there was absolutely no better place to sip coffee and read a book, or to make a fool of yourself and dance on its small stage. The Old Junction was amazing, and I miss it with my entire being.
- You Remember When You Didn’t Have to Wait to Get Your Mail
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Since we’ve gotten the new post office, you may not have to remember your locker combination or check your mailbox regularly, but there never used to be a wait to get your mail. In retrospect, maybe this lack of a line was because nobody actually knew when they had mail.
- You’ve Been to LD’s, UgMug, Waldo’s, CityMart, and Mama’s
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During your freshman year, you’ll probably find yourself at LD’s (Lincoln Diner) at the end of a long night, and even though the food isn’t that good, you’re probably starving and you’ll eat it anyway. An upperclassman knows that LD’s food is always okay, but their dessert is consistently phenomenal. The upperclassmen also know that UgMug is the best cafe to get coffee at, and that Waldo’s is the perfect place to go for entertainment if you don’t have a dollar to your name. Upperclassmen also know that the man at CityMart makes up the price when you get to the counter. And the upperclassman knows that Mama’s is, unfortunately, Mama’s, but where else would you go for a drink?
- You Go to Host Provider
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You know that, believe it or not, Host Provider events serve alcohol that is of better quality than any you could buy with your work study wages. In your venture for free yet quality alcohol, you may have to actually attend some worthwhile events, such as talks at the Schmucker Art Gallery or Super Smash Brothers Tournaments.
- You’ve Stopped Buying Textbooks
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Maybe you still buy textbooks, but by this time, you have probably found a workaround. If you take humanities courses that aren’t too heavy in textbooks, you can usually check out the books that you need from the library. You may also know that some professors don’t even use the textbooks they assign; or perhaps you even buy the wrong edition of the textbook because it’s $200 cheaper than the newest edition. Most of the time, this isn’t a problem at all (except that this sometimes makes you do the wrong Japanese homework, which you’ve grown to live with).
- You Know the Best Study Spots
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The third floor of the library, the nook by the registrar, Glatfelter basement, the conference table in Weidensall Hall. Even though Weidensall is supposed to be closed on the weekends, sometimes the door is ajar and you can get inside anyway. And you can sit alone, under a chandelier and in front of a fireplace, and describe the study spot to your friends as sexy.
- You’ve Met and Remember JMR
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JMR probably spoke at your Get Acquainted Day or at your convocation. A consistent, benevolent God, you remember when she graced you with her presence. And perhaps you wish she would still be here when you graduate.
- You’ve Personally Experienced Paranormal Activity
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When a lot of freshmen start at Gettysburg, they either fear or embrace ghosts. By the time you’re a senior, there’s a large chance you’ve encountered something that you might describe as paranormal. I know students who have heard sawing and screaming coming from Penn Hall at night; I’ve heard of students who have gone for a walk and ended up being teleported to different locations. One night this past spring, my friends and I were alone in Glatfelter when we suddenly heard a loud bang and found our exit from the building completely obstructed with furniture. By the time you’re finished at Gettysburg, you probably are not afraid of ghosts anymore.
- You Had (or Currently Have) a Mold Cough
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You know that Hanson Hall is infamous for its horrific mold problem and the respiratory issues it causes, and that almost every motel has mold in the air conditioner. If you’ve gotten to be a senior and have never had a respiratory problem that could be attributed to mold, congratulations! If not, who knows, you might be entitled to financial compensation from a future class action lawsuit.
- You Kind of Wish That You Could Do It Again So You Don’t Have to Enter the Real World
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Despite everything, you would probably willingly go back in time and repeat your whole college experience again. Wouldn’t it be a dream to relive your college experience, knowing everything that you know now? There are so many things that I am going to sorely miss once I graduate, and there were so many unique experiences that make me glad that I chose Gettysburg. And now that I’ve figured out everything else, I have to get out of here!