Finally, it's here! It's springtime! The birds are chirping, the sun is shining and everyone’s the happiest they’ve been all year. If you attend a school where the weather is extremely bipolar, or just perpetually freezing, then you know the struggle of long winters accompanied by the chilly beginnings of the spring semester. Not only is second semester my personal favorite time of the year, I think I speak for the entire Whitman student (and any general college student) population when I say that springtime is literally the best thing to ever happen, besides summer, of course. With that being said, in honor of the start of yet another solid second semester, here is an article about the nine different types of Whitties you’ll for sure see on Ankeny...
1. The Frisbee fiends:
Ultimate Frisbee, regular Frisbee, you name it. No matter the day, no matter the time, if it’s 65 degrees or hotter, you can spot at least 2-20 Frisbee throwers out on Ankeny, guaranteed.
2. The volleyball team (better known as "volbs squad"):
This is the time of year we get to show off our, um…“developing” grass volleyball skills (just kidding, I promise we’re really good). It’s every volleyball player’s favorite part of the spring season, between the conditioning and mile running, when we can play grass without worries and put our new found strength and speed abilities to the test. Though we may blend into to the sea of Frisbee players and sunbathing students, you can always spot us bare-footed, sun-kissed, and bathing suit clad if the sun is shining.
3. The “it’s just red today, it’ll be tan tomorrow” people:
There are two kinds of people in this world; those who sunburn and those who SUNBURN. There’s a distinct difference in turning bright, lobster red, and getting your pinkish “summer base” ready for tanning oils. Unfortunately, many people mistake themselves as the latter and spend hours at a time in the sun, turning redder and redder by the minute. Regardless, we welcome all sunbathers of all tanning abilities to enjoy the sunshine.
4. The sun addicts:
I’m 100 percent a proud member of this group. Being from California, sun-chasing has evolved from a favorite pastime into a true addiction. Anytime the sun is shining, you’ll find me and the rest of the Whitman population hailing from California and the bay area chilling on Ankeny, soaking up as many rays as possible. It may be a problem, but hey…we need sun.
5. Slack liners and circus performers:
In short, these individuals are pretty impressive. Not only can they perform sick circus tricks, they can do those tricks while walking on slack lines at the same time. Needless to say, it’s an impressive group.
6. Explosion of Greek life:
Spring is also the primetime for frat and sorority activity. Second semester is known for having the best Greek all campus parties, Greek-sponsored fundraisers like color runs, sporting events, and much more. This is the time of year that Greek and non-Greek students intertwine most frequently and come together for a celebration of senioritis and much-needed sunshine.
7. The class skippers:
These are my favorite spring time students. The pioneering individuals who are literally done with everything. Instead of trying to mentally push through the last few weeks of class, they just say, “screw it’ and peace out of class to sit on Ankeny with no worries. These are the bold and ballsy students we all strive to become.
8. The people who have no idea what to do with themselves due to sun deprivation (I swear that's a real thing):
Finally, along with all the sun-drunk students who have a purpose in spending lots of time outside doing various activities, you’ll also see those who are just the opposite. Sometimes the beautiful weather is so overwhelming, all you can do is sit down in the grass and try to take it all in the best you can. I’ve definitely found myself in this situation before, so happy the sun decided to show its face, that I literally lay on my front lawn and do nothing. It’s truly a beautiful struggle, as you’re caught between laziness and true confusion as to whether you’re hallucinating the clear blue skies or not.
