This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Mt Holyoke chapter.
(Performance by the A Capella group Diversions)
October 21-23 was Friends and Family Weekend. It was a time for students to spend time with their family and friends after being so far away from home and to just relax, unwind, and commune with their loved ones. And of course after coming to a school like Mount Holyoke, it’s a perfect time to show off your campus and show your parents that their hard earned money is going to good use. Although students expressed sadness over the gloomy, cold, and rainy weather, they still appreciated the variety of activities that were in place for them to do.
“Fall fest was a little disappointing — I guess I just expected it to be different. Also, the rain made it kind of depressing. I appreciated that a lot of activities were available, even though we only chose to attend a couple….” said Katy ‘20.
Though a variety of activities were available, I only went to four events which I thought were amazing and really showed the capabilities of our school and the amazing talents that lie within its gates. On Friday, I got the chance to go see the Lipstick Thespians performance. I really enjoyed the skits, especially the “Clown Skit” by two talented MHC students. I have never seen any acting so funny without the use of words, unless you count Mr. Noodle and his brother and sister from Sesame Street’s Elmo’s World. The performance of the scene from The Importance of Being Earnest, was hilarious. The acting was so superb; I almost felt as if I was actually watching a historical drama and there were absolutely no hitches. Everything was perfect.The only problem I found with this performance was that I’ve always loved singing performances, and I have to say I was a bit disappointed in the singing. I expected a lot more. But I loved an original song called “Precious.” It was so beautiful and unique and the singer’s voice reminded me of Adele’s.
After this, my friends and I went to the Jazz Concert: “Wild Life!” We arrived way into the performance and left after about three songs to go to Craft’s Night in Blanchard. The most memorable performance was “Beyond the Sea” by The MHC Vocal & Chamber Jazz Ensembles. It felt like I went back in time to the 1920’s even though the song was made in 1945.
(Performance at the Jazz Concert: “Wild Life!” for “Beyond the Sea” by The MHC Vocal & Chamber Jazz Ensembles)
The A Capella Jam was on Saturday, and I liked all the performances, but the M&Cs group was my favorite. Remember how I said I was disappointed by the singing in the Lipstick Thespians performance (except for the “Precious” song)? Well this more than made up for it.
It was a lovely weekend with all sorts of events to attend, and yet still there were others who didn’t really go to any of them, but simply enjoyed the beauty of the Campus with their parents.
“My family came up from West Virginia on Friday and left Sunday. We didn’t really attend any events except the President’s Chat about the college on Saturday morning, and the Family and Friends Weekend Choral/Orchestral Concert Saturday evening. We went out to dinner one evening at Amherst, and on Saturday I took them to a Gracious Dinner at Rockies with my guest swipes (they really enjoyed that!). Mostly, we just talked about home, how things are here at Mount Holyoke, and plans for winter break. It’s a shame the weather was so cold and rainy Friday and Saturday, but on Sunday when it cleared up we went for a walk around Upper Lake. All in all, a lovely visit!” said Kali ‘20.
Others like Malyun ‘20 simply appreciated that her siblings could see her campus and was thankful for the family oriented atmosphere. “…I had the chance to push my parents to bring my siblings to see my school. I enjoyed being with my family and showing them the community that I have/am creating. I loved how we all enjoyed each other’s company. The events seemed well organized, and family-oriented as well.”
Finally, I feel that I should speak a little about my own experience. Friends and Family Weekend emphasized how much of a family I have found at Mount Holyoke. While my family could not make it all the way from sunny Florida, I had the chance to “commune” with Katy (quoted above) and her family. We went out to lunch at The Pub and it was nice knowing that I had some sort of familial experience along with everyone else.
To see a full list of the events that took place, visit the Mount Holyoke website where they are listed by day and time of occurrence.
If you would like to write for Her Campus Mount Holyoke, or if you have any questions or comments for us, please email mt-holyoke@hercampus.com.
