It’s official: We’ve made it through the first week of classes and (most of us) are still alive. Dramatic, I know, but if there’s ever a time for drastic change and having to program ourselves to get back in the swing of things, it’s the beginning of the semester. After a summer away, there are things we are eager to come back to, things we could do without, and changes we don’t really know how to feel about. Here’s are our top three Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down of the week:
Thumbs Up. Syllabus Week. 83% of those who participated in our Instragram poll gave this a Thumbs Up, and we couldn’t agree more. More endearingly known as “Sylly Week,” the first week of classes lets us hold onto the silliness of summer (and the lack of responsibilities that comes with it) while dipping our toes into school life and testing the water out before diving in full force. The first week is always filled with the excitement of getting to know new professors, having classes with old friends, and if you’re lucky, even walking out of a seminar or lecture excited for the semester ahead. Now that Add/Drop has officially ended, it’s time to buckle down and work hard!
Thumbs Down. Rainy weather. The coming of the weekend was hardly a call for celebration because of the thunder and lightning that lit up the sky starting Friday night. Saturday and Sunday didn’t prove to be any better, leaving many HampdenFest goers utterly soaked as they tried to participate in the festivities (**cough cough Matty**). The Men’s Soccer game against William and Mary was also rained out, leaving fans of both teams disappointed. As we head into this new week, the weather still refuses to lighten up, and even shows potential for a hurricane (do we get days off for that?), so don’t forget your umbrellas and raincoats!
Thumbs Up. HampdenFest. Rain or shine, HampdenFest is easily one of the most anticipated events of the year (perhaps second to the Miracle on 34th Street during the holiday season), and we’re lucky to have it all happen right in our own backyard. The all-day festival on Hampden’s The Avenue (36th street) is the perfect place to support local craft makers, artists, musicians, and food joints, and of course, a chance to try out one of The Charmery’s newest and weirdest flavors. WLOY also has a tent and played great jams throughout the day, adding a nice Greyhound touch to the event!
Thumbs Down. The new Ciabatta rolls at Boulder. According to News Editor Stefan Joyce ’20, the new Ciabatta rolls at Boulder’s sandwich station were not the best thing to come back to. Described by our beloved Stefan as “hard, frozen, and smaller in size,” these new rolls are simply not cutting it. Could Stefan have simply gotten a sandwich on a bad day, or is this the fall of the Boulder Ciabatta Roll? Only time—and the number of Tapingo orders Boulder receives each day—will tell.
Thumbs Up. Redoing Beatty Hall. Home of the Sociology and Psychology Departments, the seemingly neglected Beatty Hall is to see a makeover in the coming months. Anyone who has had class in the basement of Beatty can tell you that the experience is quite dreadful: there are no windows, the air is stifled, and there is hardly enough room to move between desks. Any and all change is welcome, please and thank you… Except maybe the parking space that will be compromised as a result of the makeover… But you win some you lose some, right?
Thumbs Down. Missing half of the junior class. Though 66% of Instagram voters said that this is a “Thumbs Up,” The Greyhound vetoes this vehemently. Whether people are happy about more seating in Boulder, more space to walk around the quad, or something in between, the class of 2020 that remains on campus is especially sad about not seeing more familiar faces on their walks to class or within their own group of friends. Needless to say, a huge piece of Loyola is missing without those who are spending their semesters abroad, but we’re excited to hear all about their worldly adventures when they return in the spring!
And so another week comes to a close here at The Greyhound. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for the latest campus updates. Keep a look out for some Thumbs Up Thumbs Down polls on our Instragram story!
