Although this week wasn't exactly warm until yesterday, (and the weather is still considered freezing to those of us who went south for SB2K10) we're officially two weeks into the spring season, regardless of the temperature in Hanover. It's time to embrace the sun, the grass, the outdoors and the dance floors. Throw on your flip flops, or better yet, kick off your shoes, it's time to dance!
While Dartmouth students know how to throw a good party for practically any occasion, Spring term is when we're at our best. With less ice to slip on en-route from one party to the next, our nights (and days) are bound to be more entertaining. Many of us have become ghostly pale hiding beneath our coats this winter, so what better way to work on your tan than while grooving along to outdoor bands or jamming on the Green? With everything on this term though, it's easy to get overwhelmed. Should you cut loose in Baker-Berry or a basement? Or Gilman or the Green? Never fear, here's a guide to the best places to blame it on the boogie this Spring.
Dance parties:
While dance parties at Greek houses are the most obvious place to dance any term (the name might be a giveaway), there are quite a few perks to parties in the Spring. The first thing you may notice upon entering a party is the lack of jackets on couches and tied to stairwells, pipes or anything deemed safer than a big pile by the door. Brave the cold and leave your room without a jacket or with something light you can drape over your arm, you'll thank yourself later when you don't spend 10 minutes looking for your jacket or untying its quadruple-knotted sleeves. Along with a lack of jackets, there will also be a lack of Uggs, leggings and pants in general, so sport your sundresses and miniskirts, but be sure not to back it up too low! Lastly, warmer temps mean you're more likely to make it from parties on School St. to Webster Ave to Wheelock St. and back should you so desire. Instead of taking a "warm-cut" through Novack and random dorms, you can actually enjoy prancing across the Green without getting frostbite.
Green Key:
Green Key has never lived up to the Mardi Gras-esque idea of the weekend that I had in my head freshman year outdoor drinking, costumes and dancing in the streets for days on end but, it does provide a perfect time to embrace countless dance parties, sketchy alums (like me in T-74 days) and more importantly, outdoor bands. Most commonly featured on the lawns of Phi Delt and AD, these bands can be a highlight of the weekend, providing a casual way to relax with friends and dance a little while hanging out on balconies, sitting in the grass or walking through the block party. Pigstick at Alpha Chi provides a similar outdoor experience (plus a giant barbecued pig) pre-Green Key.
Gammapalooza:
Despite the outdoor bands, one thing missing from campus is outdoor DJs at night. Over spring break I had the chance to see Girl Talk perform outside at Emory, and within about five minutes the venue essentially turned into the same scene seen as a standard Dartmouth dance party, except with grass and fresh air. Granted, our Dartmouth DJs aren't quite at Girl Talk's level, but on the right night it's not too hard to draw a decent crowd, so why not move the fun outside? Chi Gam's "Gammapalooza," a party hosted last Green Key with somewhat well-known DJs and performers from New York, came close. The party became so crowded that the first floor windows were opened and the crowd overflowed onto the front lawn, providing a bit of a lawn party experience. I predict that this year's "Gammapalooza" may once again be a highlight of the term, and I'm excited to see who may be in this year's lineup.
The Green:
My favorite part of Spring term is spreading out a blanket and spending hours lying on the Green napping, hanging with friends, pretending to do work and soaking up the sun. Part of this fun is cranking up my laptop speakers as loud as they can go and jamming out. Given that it's the Green and my speakers can only get so loud, this "jamming" is more like nodding my head and swaying than full out dance party-quality moves. Then again, why not get a large enough group, sing along loudly, lose any self-consciousness and bust a move!
In your room:
Sadly, we can't be dancing 24/7 and occasionally we're stuck inside cramming and writing papers during the weekend's biggest party. When you're feeling down, or literally cannot keep your eyes open in the 4-7 a.m. zombie range, turn up your funkiest jam and dance with yourself, or a roommate in the same miserable state. It's sure to wake you up and provide that boost needed to finish your work, and to make it to class too!
