As a transfer student, I had never heard of Spree
Day before last week. I only learned of the event, and what it entailed, when
there were rumors circulating that it would be occurring on the coming
Wednesday. I was told by experts on the subject that Spree Day involves being
woken up at 6 a.m. by seniors rampaging through residence halls announcing the event
with shouts and ultimately being surrounded by spectacularly drunk people for
the entire day.
These things turned out to be undoubtedly true. However,
there were a number of other things of which I was not informed ahead of time,
such as what there actually is to do on Spree Day. It surprised me when I went
outside (having slept another several hours after being woken up exactly at 6
by what sounded in my half-asleep state like a very angry invading army) and
saw the green looking more or less like a local carnival. There were inflatables
blown up on the grass, a stage constructed in Red Square, tables set up near
the UC for an outdoor barbecue lunch, and plenty of little stations at which
one could participate in activities, traditions, and overeating.
I partook in some of it, racing a friend up and down
the slides, being willingly beaten up by a large, rotating sausage-like
inflatable, watching guys and girls alike being flung off the mechanical bull
in increasingly entertaining variations, and eating unhealthy amounts of fried
dough and ice cream. The atmosphere was lively throughout the day, which
culminated in an outdoors showing of Despicable
Me, the movie which lent Spree Day its theme this year.
All in all, despite the (not-too-unexpected)
insanity, I discovered that Spree Day is a fun event that gives us a much-needed,
if brief, respite between spring and summer breaks. I look forward to being “surprised”
by it again next year.
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