<p>Yesterday, the last day of class, Mount Holyoke seniors were welcomed into the Alumnae Association with champagne and strawberries. My daughter enjoyed this, as well as the traditions she has experienced over the past four years....and is looking forward (with anticipatory tears) to the last traditions of commencement weekend.
Not only has she received a wonderful education and many opportunities, but through the traditions, wonderful professors, and a fabulous community of friends, she will long have wonderful memories and a strong relationship with her college and community there.</p>
<p>I know the other Sisters have comparable traditions. I thought this might be a nice time for alumnae, students and parents to share.</p>
<p>Oh traditions, there are so many good ones, and they’re definitely one of the things that attracted me to women’s colleges in general (I really wanted to go to a school that was progressive, but also believed in its traditions). </p>
<p>Friday afternoon tea is my favorite little tradition at Smith. Every house has tea in their living room and the dining staff make you cookies and snacks and other goodies. It’s just a time to unwind or sometimes we have tea activities like games or watching a documentary or a movie or we’ll have a professor or other campus person in to speak to us. Once we had “What not to Wear” Tea and a Smith staff member who used to be a clothing designer for Ralph Lauren or some big brand like that in New York came and talked to us about trends for spring and how to pick flattering clothes and appropriate office wear. </p>
<p>I also really like the commencement traditions, it was fun that commencement was basically a three-day long ceremony that you build up to all year with lots of little ceremonies. There’s illumination night when they light up the campus and the pond with candles. Then the next morning is Ivy Day, where all seniors dress in white and we each receive a red rose. Then the alums that are there for reunion (reunion happens the same weekend as commencement) parade through campus and into the Quad wearing their class colors and carrying funny signs about their time at Smith and the seniors line the road and cheer them as they walk in. They also carry a long chain of ivy that is carried by particular ivy bearers in the senior class as well. Once the alums parade in, then the seniors come in with their roses and we walk into the Quad and they cheer us. It’s the day when we officially join the alumnae, and it’s a tradition of welcoming and continuity with the past and future (hence the chain of ivy). It’s also the day when we get the majority of the speeches and the honorary awards out of the way so that the next morning, commencement morning, can go faster.</p>
<p>Ivy Day at Smith gave me a lump in my throat when D graduated. Heck, it gives me a lump in my throat just thinking about it now. It was so moving, and the chain of past classes, going back more than 50 years, was incredible.</p>
<p>If you haven’t looked already, I think that most of the 7 sisters colleges have a place on their websites that details campus traditions. That’s a good way to get an overview of the kinds of things students do regularly (though some of the more “unofficial” traditions wont’ be listed)</p>
<p>I am here at Mount Holyoke’s commencement weekend. This morning was the Laurel Parade. It is impossible to describe the emotion. Alumnae from 1940 led the parade with many classes following. They lined the parade route and cheered the class of 2010 as they made their way carrying a laurel chain. The class encircled Mary Lyon’s (college founder) grave and sang “Bread and Roses”. We could see many soon to be grads crying (my daughter included.) Both her dad and I felt emotional. It truly was special!</p>