After just about three days of real nice spring weather, I’ve noticed a lot of change in Andover students. My three years of being a student at Andover has revealed the same behavioral pattern changes year after year. Luckily, I live in Bartlet right next to the library terrace where I can watch people all day and all night… This year I decided to record all my observations in a leather-bound notebook. Here are some of my spring observations and questions: Did you ever notice that students on campus become infinitely more preppy come spring time? Did you ever notice just how few students own a pair of jean shorts on this campus, let alone wear them outside ever? Did you ever notice that the birds start chirping at 5 a.m. sharp? Did you ever notice that suddenly everyone becomes a lot lazier during spring term? Did you ever realize that Commons actually opens at 7 a.m.? Did you ever notice how fitness, such as going out on a morning run or tossing a ball around, suddenly becomes the cool thing to do? Did you ever notice how everyone overestimates the temperature by 10 degrees and decides to wear shorts in the morning? Did you ever notice how much more often people talk about the weather or state tomorrow’s high? Did you ever notice just how many people walk around campus barefoot, oblivious to germs and bacteria breeding on the paths? Did you ever notice that people eat the same amount of ice cream in the winter as in the spring? Did you ever notice how many people walk around the Great Lawn shirtless doing some sort of physical activity? Did you ever notice that the heating is turned on at the weirdest times? Did you ever notice how everyone cuts class much more often? Did you ever notice that Prozac prescriptions decrease by 50% during March? Did you ever wonder why it always showers in April and flowers in May? Did you ever wonder how such beautiful trees as that pink blossoming ones ever came to such a place as Andover? Did you ever notice how the distance to downtown Andover seems to shrink when the weather is nice out? Did you ever notice that the sun rises a lot earlier which means that more light comes through the window shades which results in waking up earlier and sleeping less? Did you ever notice how the Old Navy Commercials change from being a little overenthusiastic to just plain ridiculous and silly? Did you ever wonder why people who play tenni-golf think they are so cool? Did you ever wonder what happened to that Meat-StiK fad from two years ago? Did you ever notice that most people who play Ultimate have long hair and are pacifists? Did you ever notice how much people enjoy being outside on the lawn especially where they can be seen by everyone? Did you ever consider the difference between a beach chair and a lawn chair? Did you ever notice how no one has had the idea of setting up a slip-and-slide? (Oh, wait…)
