BY CHLOE JENSEN ’20
Since 1917, the MHN has been reporting on every student’s favorite opportunity to skip class and enjoy the beautiful fall New England weather — Mountain Day. From climbing, to sleeping in, chanting, singing, apple-picking, drinking and relaxing, the Mount Holyoke News has always been quick to cover the much-favored campus tradition.
BY LILY REAVIS ’21
Mount Holyoke’s first chess club meeting in 22 years took place on Tuesday, Sept. 25. Linh Nguyen ’21, Austen Borg ’20 and Annegail Moreland ’20 are co-founders of the new Mount Holyoke chess club (MHCC), which was created due to several students’ collective interest. The meeting, which took place in Blanchard Hall’s Great Room, focused on the goals and vision for the club.
BY LILY REAVIS ’21
Growing up in Miami, Florida, Emily Wolman ’22 experienced verbal and emotional bullying online and in-person. In response, she founded an anti-bullying initiative called Students That Offer Peace (STOP). The club grabbed the attention of students and faculty and eventually won Wolman the Posse Scholarship and the Princess Diana Award.
BY GRACE FITZGERALD
We set up first-years Aleasha* and Daphne* on a movie date in Skinner Hall. Aleasha described herself as a “dynamic and dedicated person looking for someone caring who she could make laugh.” Daphne, a self-described film studies nerd was looking for someone to watch movies with and be close to. Their similar senses of humor and a love of film made them seem like the perfect match!
BY LILY REAVIS ‘21
Though some archive records claim that Convocation has taken place annually since 1837, there are no formal accounts of any such event until 1931. If there was a tradition before then, it was likely very different in style. The official establishment of Convocation in 1931 marked a turning point for Mount Holyoke College. Today, Mount Holyoke College’s Convocation is a loud, vibrant celebration of the school’s community, but it wasn’t always that way; the tradition was originally far more formal and focused on individual student awards.
BY MIA PENNEKAMP ’20
1. One day you will finally get an A from the professor who has never given you anything but Bs.
2. Don’t forget to keep up with your oldest friends. The ones who know you cold and ugly and like family. If you do forget, one of them will call you out for it on Easter in a coffee shop. She will sit across from you, wearing a leather jacket and a yellow scarf, and you’ll both tear up.
BY SABA FIAZUDDIN ’21
For members of the Mount Holyoke community, many of life’s most important moments happen on campus, from their first convocation to commencement, with years of beloved traditions in between. For some, this connection extends beyond their final walk through the amphitheater. In addition to more well-known events held in Abbey Chapel and the Willits-Hallowell Conference Center, people can also use these venues for their weddings. Many Mount Holyoke graduates chose to do just that.
BY LINDSEY MCGINNIS ’18
Elle magazine described her as a key member of Hillary Clinton’s “Girl Squad.” To Fortune.com readers, she was “the wonk shaping Hillary Clinton’s plans for the country.” POLITICO named her one of the top 50 “thinkers, doers and visionaries” transforming American politics in 2016.
BY MIA PENNEKAMP ’20
The first time I saw Mount Holyoke it was summer. Everything was green. I wore white jeans and sandals, the sun browning my spaghetti strap-clad shoulders. There was powdered sugar on my jean jacket from a drive-thru donut shop (my mom came, so there had to be donuts). We toured the campus and she walked quickly ahead of me, her curls wild, shoes platformed and button-down tucked in. We spent the day exploring the valley and ended with white wine, pizza and conversation over a small wooden table in Northampton. “What did you think?” she wanted to know, clearly smitten herself. She had the giddy excitement of a school girl. The hazed eyes of infatuation, lovesick off her own college reminiscing — North Carolina in the ’80s. I had one burning question: “Mom,” I asked, “seriously, why is everyone lying in the grass?”
BY GRACE FITZGERALD ’20
It can get lonely in the Pioneer Valley. To address this, we at MoRomance are sending MoHos on blind dates with fellow Five College students to find love! After all, isn’t that what the consortium was created for? We set up Mount Holyoke first-year Suzie* and Hampshire second-year Stephen* for our inaugural Five College date. Suzie described herself as an outgoing, energetic and vivacious person seeking someone who she can be comfortable and intimate with. Stephen, a musician, was looking for someone who loves music and can appreciate his offbeat sense of humor. Their shared love of movies and the arts seemed to make for a perfect match. We sent them on a date to the Smith College Art Museum followed by bubble tea in Northampton. The two met in the lobby of the art museum, and here’s what happened…
BY GRACE FITZGERALD ’20
This week, we set up senior Virginia* with first-year Vita* on a movie date in Clapp to watch “Romeo + Juliet.” Vita described herself as an open-minded person who is fascinated by the world. As a self-described hopeless romantic, Virginia wanted someone she could talk about the depths of her soul with. Vita, who wants to know a little about everything, seemed like a perfect fit! Mid-’90s Leonardo DiCaprio plus the Clapp sloth sounded like the recipe for romance to us. The two met in Clapp to begin their date, and here’s how it went…
BY SABA FIAZUDDIN ’21
Every year, the month of March is marked with anxiety for students awaiting admissions decisions from their top colleges. For many students, this time of year is a culmination of standardized tests, all-nighters spent finishing college essays and hours devoted to extracurricular activities. The experience, however, doesn’t just wear down students; it can also be stressful for admissions officers who must read hundreds of applications in a month and make decisions that will affect students for the next four years of their lives.
BY MADELINE FITZGERALD ’21
There is a predictable rhythm to starting college. Scan department store lists of dorm room essentials. Check Rate My Professor. Check the Facebook group. Check everything, then load the car and leave home. For Caroline Castonguay ’20, however, there was one more necessary task to complete. Castonguay, who has cystic fibrosis, a chronic and debilitating illness, needed to meet with AccessAbility services, the office that provides students with disability accommodations.
