Lindy Hoppin' Linus

Today is a t-shirt and jeans sort of day. No need to look especially fashionable or cute today...just a throw-on-some-clothes-and-go sort of Sunday. And so, I pulled out a shirt that I haven't worn in a very long time...a shirt from my freshman year of college from my dorm's "URP," or "Union of Residential Planning." I lived in the dorm most coveted by the students...it always filled up first during room draw, it was located on the East Side of our small campus, but closer to the center of campus than any of the other 8 dorms, and it had the sweetest rooms...big and roomy...lots of space...all that jazz. So, my "URP" decided to endorse our dorm as the best dorm on campus, ensuring it's everlasting superiority over other dorms at Carleton. We put together a big gala, and invited the "big-wigs" from the administration (the prez and vice-prez, the deans, etc.), as well as students from other dorms, professors, and any staff that worked in our dorm. And we created a document that we entitled The Endorsement of Nourse, that we planned to have read at the gala and then have all of the attendees sign (which they did, obviously, because everyone knows it's the best dorm).

So, back to this shirt. It's basically the yearly shirt that our "URP" (known as NURP for Nourse Union of Residential Planning) created. And on the back is the language from The Endorsement of Nourse. As I read it through again, after so many years after this event, I had a good long laugh at how silly we can be in college, and also how inventive and creative.

Now, I'm sure you're wondering what The Endorsement of Nourse says, right? Well, without further ado, here it is...may it be immortalized in the webpages of this blog...

The Endorsement of Nourse

Wherefore, in the course of human events, there arrives a time when the Fates necessitate a pause from one's daily routines, to acknowledge the truths which bind our lives together. On this day, in the waning hours of the millennium, we unite with our fellow sisters and brothers to consecrate these premises in the name of all that is honored and sacred.

We, the people of the Nourse Union of Residential Planning, in the purposes of declaring our superiority over those residences whose grounds we share and to ensure that this preeminence never be infringed upon, do ordain this to be the Endorsement of Nourse.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Dormitories are not created equal. These exists, in the Eastern district of the campus of Carleton College, one building that far exceeds all others in beauty, refinement, dignity, class and luxury. This building, The Residence Hall of Nourse, we acknowledge to be that very structure.

And so, by my signature, I recognize the dominance of Nourse over all other edifices at Carleton College.

And, of course, here is where we had people sign our Endorsement. Hilarious, right? I read this thinking, man, were we arrogant! But at the same time, a survey of the school would show significantly more than half the student body (and quite possibly more than 75% of students) agree that Nourse is the best dorm on campus.

It's fun to go back and think about all of the fun I had at Nourse...I lived there 2 of my 4 years in college. But freshman year took the cake! We had a Gutter Sundae in the hallway of my floor--we bought a bunch of rain gutters from the hardware store (enough to span the length of our floor, we're talking a good 4-5 yards at least), filled them with scoops of all different flavors of ice cream (including sherbet for our lactose intolerant people), set toppings on the side of the gutters all the way up and down the hallway, and then ate ice cream with everyone in our dorm! It was awesome.

We also used to have regular Nerf gun wars in the first floor lounge, using the Nerf gun collection of one of the seniors on the first floor (he had to have like 9 or 10 of them...incredibly ridiculous! We also played "bumper chairs" with the first floor lounge chairs...they were soft and comfy chairs that you could curl up in, but they had wheels, and were the perfect size to get up speed going backward by kicking your feet off the ground. Way better than bumper cars! Way better!

That was the year that the senior that hung out in our lounge used to fold me up and drop me in a trash can every time he saw me. I apparently reminded him of a girl they used to do that to his freshman year...and since he was a whole foot taller than me, there wasn't much I could do about it. At least he always checked to make sure that the garbage can didn't have anything slimy or gross in it... haha!

That was also the year we haunted our dorm and made my floor (the 4th floor) the scary floor...including fake blood in the bathroom and someone jumping out of the shower, ghostly looking people walking up and down the hallway, and the "Sixth Sense" room...where a friend and I made my room completely dark, and very, very cold, and then, once everyone filed in to the center of the room, we slammed the door shut and crept around the shivering group of college kids whispering
"I see dead people..."
"They're everywhere."
"Everywhere..."
"Everywhere..."
--etc. until everyone was completely freaked out. Then, we paused and then my friend would flick on a flashlight under his face (painted hideously for better effect) and I'd grab someone's leg. Then, amid screams and squeals, I'd rush back to the door and open it, and everyone would run out. It was so cool. We scared huge macho sports players, and people who walked in with skepticism in their voices (i.e. "What's this all about...ooh, dark...scary...eh...).

Man, it's fun to reminisce about my time at Nourse. It was a very good year. And this shirt (getting back to the original topic...how often does that happen in my head???) reminds me of all of that. The crazy characters I lived with in the dorm, the friends I made, etc. I'm getting all sappy and nostalgic now. :) But really, it set the standard for my time at Carleton...and I think I enjoyed the next 3 years even more because of all of the crazy fun I had during my frosh year.

Good times, man. Good times...