Earth Day 2012
Hannah Noyes
May 24, 2012
Filed under Community
As a new student, I did not know what to expect when I heard that we had an entire class- free day for Earth Day. Let me tell you, it was certainly not what I had anticipated. I thought we would spend the entire day on our community service projects and in Meeting for Worship. My preconceived notions could not have been any further from the reality of Earth Day. Everyone seemed to be in a great mood after the seniors read us The Lorax by Dr. Seuss and after watching Chance’s amazing performance during convocation. That mood transferred to the community service groups, where I was able to spend time with my friends outside in the stunning weather.
Students were running all over campus, trying to sell candy for Paws for a Cause or putting up Kony posters. The tie-dye was a huge hit, and I have noticed many people wearing their shirts around school the past few weeks. The two hours spent working on our service projects flew by, and afterwards I saw everybody hurrying down to the cookout for lunch. The burgers were delicious; thank you to everyone who cooked for us the entire afternoon. The pies for Haiti seemed to be a real crowd pleaser as well. Unfortunately, I was confused about the bring-your-own-utensils instructions, and forgot a plate and cup. I was lucky enough to get an extra plate from a friend; however, I was not able to find a cup. In the sweltering upper 80’s heat I really regretted my laziness from the night before, when I could have easily put a water bottle in my bag to bring to school. All in all, going one day without utensils was not a bad thing. Everyone ate with their friends, and nobody seemed to care if they didn’t have a plate.
For me, the afternoon was probably the best part of the day. I saw some great wipeouts on the scooters, and the body painting was incredibly fun. I actually still have a tiny tan on my legs, where you can still see CAT written if you look hard enough. Although the sun was wonderful at the time, it ended up burning quite a few people for prom the following evening, body paint tan lines and all.
Overall, I’d say the day was a hit. I heard people remarking more than once that they wished every Friday could be like Earth Day. The weather was spectacular, we were able to help the community with our service projects while having fun completing them at the same time. We also had lots of time for relaxing and spending time with friends. The entire day exceeded my naïve- new-kid expectations. I am really looking forward to next year’s Earth day, and I am sure that everyone else is anxiously awaiting it as well.