Spring Weekend: A Parent's POV

“What is Spring Weekend anyway?”My parents asked me this when I mentioned that the infamous weekend of debauchery was coming up in a couple of days. Given that the “experience” is hard to describe unless you’ve been to it once or twice, I decided to turn the question around.“What do you think Spring Weekend is like?”Their answer did not disappoint. My parents stated that they had heard the phrases “Spring Weekend” and “naked donut run” during the initial Brown University tour back in my high school years, thought about the most rational way to level with these terms, and decided to combine them together. Essentially, they thought Spring Weekend was a bunch of naked people playing donut on a string.This absurd realization that my parents were convinced that I was streaking through campus every April for a donut inspired me to ask a couple of students to ask their parents & family members: “What do you think Spring Weekend is like?”This, my friends, is pure gold.

“Party, drinking and craziness.”

“Hmmm. I’d guess more students are familiar with the bands now – because of the miraculous Internet – and that there’s less excessive drinking – because of more knowledge (but not less stupidity so who knows). Difference drugs in vogue….”

** This comment was followed by a Bitmoji **

“Yes where you listen to music, wear cool t-shirts, and drink out of red solo cups. A coming out of your winter cocoon to become whatever you are going to become.”

@UPenn

“I think it’s a lot of drinking & smoking all day & night for the whole weekend. I think you kids get no sleep & are exhausted/exhilarated after the weekend. Lots of selfies & inside jokes with friends. I think there’s a probably a lot of crying & friends getting sick. Also think there are probably a good amount of random ‘hook-ups’.”

  

“A mini Woodstock for Millennials, with fewer bands and less mud.”

Though our parents have some pretty entertaining perceptions of what Spring Weekend is like, they're still family and care at least a little about our well being. Make good decisions everyone, and remember to “become whatever you are going to become” as you emerge from that winter cocoon.Images via the author.