Chilly air, jackets, boots, and everything pumpkin is the beginning of fall, and, the most anticipated weekend of the year, Mountain Day. Every Mountain Day for me is a new experience and a cherished memory. This could be my last Mountain day; I’m planning a semester abroad in Australia next fall, so this Mountain Day had to be unforgettable! My preparations began quite early, I arranged for my best friend Jordan, and my family to come to Berry, had a zombie make-up trial run, trained for the 5K and studied. A lot.
The first day of Mountain Day weekend finally arrived. Friday was a whirlwind. An hour before the Olympics I slapped on some latex, makeup and blood to produce a zombie effect for my team "Alternatives" or those in non-traditional housing units. Our theme was, “The Walking Dead.” The week had been exhausting and this make up and effects perfectly suited how many of us felt. I participated in a few events and mingled about with friends afterwards.
Transformed into a Zombie!
My best friend, Jordan, arrived after the Olympics. We had dinner, then watched the Volleyball game. We laughed at the sideline entertainment and tried to serve some balls over the net during half-time. My balls didn't make it over the net, but she is an awesome volleyball player and did much better than I did. Towards the end of the night, we saw the marvelous Mountain Day Talent Show.
At 6 a.m. the next day, I was up and ready for the Mountain Day 5K. I had never run 3 miles before but I finished in 31:08. Halfway through the race an older woman ran up beside me. She told me she had just turned 70 in May and graduated from Berry in 1964, I replied “I just turned 21 and am dying!” As we ran, she told me about the construction of Herman while she was a student here, while I struggled to maintain her pace. She’s my inspiration for life.
Marthapalooza is one of my favorite nights at Berry! The insanely long lines make it impossible to get on every ride but standing in line makes for great social banter.
What’s better than friends and free cotton candy? I had no time to sit around and relive the activities because I had four tests and a paper due the week after. Dressing up like a zombie and feeling like one all went hand in hand. I think Berry should instill a no test policy the week after Mountain Day, or at least have Monday off to recuperate from the weekend activities. Unfortunately, this has not been initiated yet, but I’m proud to say I survived the week and finally recovered from my Mountain Day Hangover.