This year May Day 2017 came on April 30 and we were blessed with beautiful weather. If it had rained like it did last year, then I probably would have stayed at home and slept through it (like last year haha). But it didn’t! Of course, now that I’m living off campus, the experience was a little different. Instead of waking up to May Day gifts from seniors, I told my beloved seniors that all I needed was their love (because that’s true, and because I was too lazy to figure out coordinating gifts and too lazy to carry them back home), and instead of having a strawberries and cream breakfast, I made do with a banana peanut butter chocolate smoothie I made at home. We also made a pit stop at La Colombe for our daily dose of caffeine on our way to campus.
I debated over weather to vlog May Day like I did in 2015. I knew I would be busy taking photos, so I wasn’t sure if I wanted to take videos as well and essentially live behind the camera the whole day. But then I figured, what would I do at May Day anyway, and isn’t May Day all about taking pictures (and videos) anyway? I was also excited to see the May Hole Dance for the first time; I’ve never seen it before because I was always warming up with my a cappella group, but I took a break from a cappella this semester. Alas, we arrived on campus five minutes too late and I missed the May Hole Dance nevertheless. I underestimated how long the walk to campus would take, or rather, I underestimated how much longer the walk would take as I vlogged everything. Other morning activities we missed were the Morris Dancers, the Senior March, the Grande Processional, May Pole Dancing, and the Senior May Roll Hoop Race.
NERDS. #cs4life.
Kyu, Kat, and I waiting for the a cappella concert to begin on Carpenter Beach.
I designed the May Day swag! The Traditions Mistresses asked me to do it a few weeks before May Day, and whilst it was a daunting task, I figured I would give it my best shot! I was so incredibly honoured that they thought of me, and I felt pretty special about knowing the May Day 2017 theme before everyone else. I came up with multiple designs and let the Traditions Mistresses choose which ones they liked the best. I was paid, and I also got to pick out all the free swag I wanted! I got myself a tote bag, t-shirt, and marble-print water bottle.
You see that circular logo with the anchor? Notice that there’s a pink starfish on it. Also notice that at the head of the anchor there is a square hole that should be yellow (it was printed that way on the t-shirt but not on the tote bag). That was my secret troll Spongebob design mehehe. I think it was subtle enough that nobody would get bad at me about it. But in the future, I’ll have to class it up.
Whilst waiting for the concert to start, I ran around taking portraits, and when I got tired of that, I lazed on the green.
The Traditions Mistresses did a fantastic job with May Day. Somehow they managed to budget two artists for the concert. After the Bi-Co (Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges) bands, up went Kodie Shane. I hadn’t heard of her before, but she was sickk. She’s so cool, has great energy, and got the crowd turnt. Besides knowing how to work a crowd (seriously, just check out the vlog at 2:25 and you’ll know what I’m talking about), her music was dope and I’ll definitely be checking out more of it.
Digression: My friend Steph on Kodie Shane: The one with the Insomnia shirt? NO STEPH! It was a Bathing Ape sweater!
Khalid!!!! He’s famous for his song Location, which gained exposure from Kylie Jenner’s Snapchat, but the song I discovered him by was Cold Blooded, and my other favourites of his are Saved and Coaster.
Also, he’s 19. And I think it’s pretty funny how his Instagram bio is “I’m 19” hahah.
Also, at one point in the concert, my friend Kellie threw a flower crown and Khalid put it on! I didn’t get a picture of it, but you can check it out on my roomie Kat’s Instagram, which is accurately captioned: “bryn mawr can turn (literally) anyone basic.”
I’m gonna be honest, I’m not huge on traditions, which I feel like is a sin for any Bryn Mawr student, but I guess I’m just not big on imparting meaning on things that don’t actually mean anything. To me it feels like making a big deal out of nothing, which is a feeling I’m sure you can relate with but would probably apply to a different situation (like on drama rather than on “special” occasions). And then I have to have all this extra energy. Why can’t I just be chill and enjoy it in my chill way?? But I do have to say that seeing everyone else happy around makes me happy. So that’s the part of May Day that I really enjoy.
I mention this because I missed a lot of the May Day traditions this year, and although I personally don’t really care, I’m going to make it a goal to have the whole May Day experience in 2018 (my senior year!), provided that it’s good weather. I’ll vlog everything, and even text people just to meet up with them to say hi and take a quick portrait, instead of just waiting to bump into people. I will be more active and more intentional. (But if it rains, there’s no chance I’ll be there, I’m sorry.)
Happy May and good luck with the last week of finals my lovely Mawrters! ♡
PS: I have another post going up on Friday, so check in for that! It’ll feature photos from a photoshoot I did on campus in April.
PPS: may day 2015