Five Senses of the Quad
Happy Friday, Deac families! It started out as a gloomy and misty Campus Day, but the sun is now out, the Quad is gorgeous, and it’s a great day for the Five Senses. I’m at a nice shady umbrella table outside Zick’s just before 2 pm. Here goes!
I see…
– Lots of parents and families and students headed into Wait Chapel for the concluding program of Campus Day. They all look a lot happier than they did at 8 am with cruddy weather. Now it’s all smiles.
– Lots of tiny pink petals from the flowering trees scattered along the brick near where I am sitting. It is mingled in with pollen, the ubiquitious plant of April.
– Dance team members walking across the Quad grass to get set up for the post-Campus Day pep rally.
– My colleagues from Admissions talking outside the chapel. It’s been a long day for them.
– A tiny neon green inchworm making its way along my table. I give him a little nudge and he rears up a bit but doesn’t climb on to my finger.
– A wide variety of outfits on our students: shorts and t-shirts and sneakers from a couple of girls who look like they are going for a run, button downs and khaki shorts on a couple of guys. A guy with neon blue and orange sneakers.
– A student walking a gorgeous golden retriever down the Quad. Surprisingly, no one stops her. Normally a great looking dog is a student magnet.
– Far fewer students on their phones or texting than I normally do. Maybe it is the nice weather, everyone seems to be soaking in the day vs. being engrossed in their screens.
I hear…
– The Carillon is playing a few tunes as parents and students make their way to Wait Chapel for the last Campus Day event. While I am here I hear Dona Nobis Pacem, the fight song, the alma mater, and Ode to Joy (which I walked up the aisle of Wait Chapel to right after I married Mr. Daily Deac nearly 20 years ago).
– Students at the table near me talking. I can’t hear it all, but there appears to be some sort of friend situation they are mulling over.
– Music being piped out on the Zick’s speakers. It’s generally been peppy and upbeat music. Would be good to dance to.
– Laughter of students as they talk together on the Quad. It’s a great sound.
– “The Deacon!” yelled by the next table. I look up and the Deacon is walking up to Wait Chapel. I snap a quick pic, and then some parents spot the Deacon and are taking pics with him. Very endearing.
– Two girls dissecting a text that one of them either sent or received this past weekend. Again, it’s too many low voices to hear specifics, but there are a couple of exasperated sighs. This has all the signs of Relationship Intrigue. I am glad to be past that kind of drama.
– One table of nearby students talking about the political situation in Iran. This makes me immeasurably happy that instead of talking about celebrities or sports or movies, these dudes are talking about 60 Minutes and CNN and modern media coverage of the Middle East. Nicely done, gents.
– “Good luck!” enthusiastically shouted by a girl to a guy passing by. Not sure the occasion, but nice to hear well wishes.
I smell…
– Green. It smells like new flowers, fresh cut grass, and pollen.
– Fried food. The people at the table near me have got fries.
– Pizza. And it smells fantastic.
I feel…
– The hard, well-weathered chair I am sitting on and the table.
– A nice breeze lilts by every few minutes. It feels good to have a little cool air, as well as some shade. The sun, now that it is finally out, is warm.
– The inchworm. Once I touch him, he doesn’t move (no he isn’t dead, I think he is just trying to hold still so I ignore him).
– My eyes crinkling as I try to see my laptop screen without sunglasses. It’s bright enough out to need sunglasses but tough to see the screen with a glare.
I taste…
– Sorry folks, nothing to report here. Had a huge lunch at Bistro ’34 and am still stuffed. For the record, I highly recommend the Asian Chicken Salad. There are three guys at a table nearby outside Zick’s drinking beer (of age! don’t worry) and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to join them 🙂
The inchworm is now looking like he may crawl up on me and the Campus Day program may be close to finished – both signs I need to get going. So that’s your Friday Five Senses on this fine Campus Day. Reminder: Friday afternoons are a great time to call your Deacs and tell them you love them.