As a Freshman with a Senior for a suitemate and a Sophmore brother, I got to know the upperclassmen of Sewanee fairly quickly. And with knowing the upperclassmen came the knowledge of all the good parties. I felt pretty “in the know” when it came to Fall Party, affectionately known as Farty, and I was excited to experience the famed Homecoming Weekend/Fall Party.
The effects of Homecoming Weekend were immediately noticable from the complete lack of parking that came about when the Alumni started rolling onto the Domain. The campus was crowded with people by Friday afternoon, and driving through the small streets of Sewanee became a fun game of trying not to hit the parallel parked cars. Rather than go out Friday night, I signed up to watch an Alumna’s seven-year old son as she and her husband went to her reunion. Not the most thrilling way to start off Fall Party, but I made money that, as a broke college student, I would be stupid to say no to. Getting back from babysitting at 10 was definitely interesting. Not only were current students everywhere, but the Alumni were also hanging out in parking lots and on sidewalks. It seems that no matter how long it’s been since you graduated, the allure of party weekend at Sewanee will always get the best of you. Upon returning to my dorm, I got to witness the first of Fall Party’s many victims, I’m sure.
The Saturday of Fall Party was witness to Red Eye, an event that begins at five in the morning. I am not one for waking up at 5 no matter the circumstance, so I opted out of this particular part of Fall Party. I did have friends who went though, and they just kept trucking throughout the day. Not one to pass up a Darty though, at 11 I joined a group of my suite mate’s friends on the roof of an unnamed building (I have to protect the secrecy) where we drank mimosas and screwdrivers to get both our vitamin C content for the day. Not one for watching Football, especially when your team is on a losing streak that has lasted the entire season, I also opted out of the football game, where students and alumni alike crowded the stands.
Saturday night was definitely my favorite part of Fall Party. It was my best friend’s birthday, so obviously we celebrated in true Sewanee fashion. After pregaming as we got dressed for the night, we went back and forth between SNU and ATO, both of which had bands. The crowds at the Frat houses were worse than usual, hordes of people filling up the houses and lawns. It was fun to see the students and alumni mingle in one place, proving that the culture of Fall Party can unite everyone.
Overall, I would say Fall Party was a success for me. I enjoyed having a weekend full of fun and friends, even if DJ Earworm was set up right outside my dorm and my walls were shaking. Mostly, Fall Party has made me even more excited for Spring Party, which I’ve been told is even better.