Welcome to the (300s) jungle
St. Michael's students are welcomed with food, music and fun

Cameron Dexter | staff editor
cdexter@smcvt.edu

The 300s were as crowded as a typical Friday night on Sept. 8, as the St. Michael’s College Welcome Back Bash got underway with rugby games, a slip n’ slide, a barbecue, live music and a pep rally.

Colin McSherry, Student Association (S.A.) co-secretary of programming, says that this year, the S.A. wanted to expand the welcome back event.

“We wanted to go big,” he says.

Despite the men's rugby loss to Boston College, St. Michael’s enthusiasts cheered on the players.

“Yeah, we lost to a Division I team, but we learned a lot and we’re really excited for the rest of the season,” senior rugby player Kevin King says.

Next, students hit the slip n’ slide, giving more entertainment to onlookers.

Carbon Leaf vocalist Barry Privett sings to the St. Michael's crowd. Cameron Dexter, photo.

“It was pretty funny,” says senior Thomas Raymond, who watched the event.

The slip n’ sliders had some sudsy problems as they careened down the slope of the 300s walkway.

The soap used to make the slide slippery got into the eyes of the contestants, and they had to use a hose to get it out, Raymond says.

The point, he says, was to get to the very end of the slide, a distance of about 50 feet, to win.

“If you could get to the end of the slip n’ slide you got a free T- shirt,” Raymond says.

Get wet, eat up and rock out

Food followed as students were welcomed to eat barbecued fare provided by Sodexho, McSherry says.

At 5 p.m the St. Michael’s band Carlson came on to the stage the S.A. rented for the event and opened for the featured musical event, the band Carbon Leaf.

“Working with Carbon Leaf was really easy," S.A. President Alex Monahan says.

The cost of Carbon Leaf was reasonable, and fit into the S.A. budget well, he adds.

The idea to have Carbon Leaf came from Mallory Wood, vice president of the S.A., who knows a member the band and contacted them last summer to set up the dates.

“These guys were awesome with dates,” Monahan says. “They really made sure we got a good show.”

It’s easier to work with a small group, as opposed to O.A.R., the band that came last spring to play for St. Michael’s Preparation Day (P-day).

“It’s all positive music, its all upbeat. It's got an Irish folk thing,” Raymond says.

McSherry says that the intent of the event was to get students excited about being at St. Michael's.

Carbon Leaf was supposed to play until 7 p.m., however the mass in front of them encouraged more songs as they chanted and shouted, “Encore, Encore.”

To the crowd's satisfaction, the band came out and played, “Raise the Roof,” which the entire crowd stood up for.

“What, you guys wait 'til the last song to stand!” lead singer Barry Privett shouted.

Thanking the audience for coming, he also gave some encouragement to St. Michael’s rugby players.

“Some days you just got to get the snot kicked out of ya to rally and win next week's game,” Privett says. “And the best way to prepare for your next success is to fail.”

Put pep in your step

Following Carbon Leaf’s performance was a pep rally held in the Ross Sports Center. St. Michael's students came to show their pride. First-years, by far the largest mass, dressing in yellow, while next to them seniors stood in red.

The juniors were outfitted in white and the sophomores in purple.

Chris Maloney, resient director in Alumni Hall ran the show.

A tug of war began and music was provided by junior Jerome Allen.

The seniors won the contest, thanks to senior Kevin Shaw.

Shaw was the anchorman for the seniors and took them, with speed, to victory.

Even though the first-year team didn’t beat the seniors, everyone seemed to enjoy the event.

“As a freshman, this was a nice welcoming to the school,” first-year Katherine Hackett says.