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(bells ringing)
"It's really nice to be counting the bells, and be like it's more than seven, oh my god--it's
Mountain Day."
On Wednesday, after several days of rain, the sky cleared and the sun came out.
President Pasquerella took advantage of the weather and declared it Mountain Day.
At 9 AM, the buses started rolling.
This trip has become a tradition for Doug, the driver, as well.
"Good morning and happy Mountain Day. You know, I've been doing this since 1838."
Doug drives the students to the halfway point on Mount Holyoke.
As they disembark and begin their journey, a group of sophomores reflect on what Mountain Day means to them.
"We hiked this together last year, so it's a sweet reunion. It's a much needed break.
I think we all have a lot of work, but this day is built into the schedule. It has been
for many years to shift our focus and think of other aspects of our health."
"Taking time to be with your friends too is also really important.
Because I think we always get really caught up in our work.
So having a reason not to be caught up in our work is pretty nice."
"Yeah!"
"So much spirit at this school. It's so palpable in the air."
Mountain Day is a tradition, dating back to 1838, one year after the founding of Mount
Holyoke Seminary. But it's more than that to everyone, it's also about taking time to
relax and appreciate the Mount Holyoke College experience.
"You hear the bells and you just get happy."
"I feel like you're already awake so early in the morning, too, and we all kind of just
get together and try to figure out when Mountain Day is. So it kind of makes it fun and interesting
and people get really excited about it."
President Pasquerella took the first bus to the mountain and hiked the entire way so that
she could be there at the top to greet students when they arrived.
President Lynn Pasquerella: "I'm very excited. I used to love Mountain Day. It's really my
favorite tradition at Mount Holyoke. I chose today...I looked at the long range forecast
and today seemed like a perfect day. It's a wonderful way to celebrate community, to
get women together and focus on the natural beauty of the valley. But it's also really
reflective of Mary Lyon's historic mission, where she tried to tie in academic excellence
with physical education and fitness. She actually required women to walk a mile every day in
order to have active bodies and minds."
For a group of seniors, this Mountain Day is about making memories.
"I think it's a really refreshing thing. I like that it's kind of in the middle of the
week and it really just breaks up the usual routine. I think everyone really appreciates
it, from the students to the faculty. It's just a really great way that we kind of bond...because
the end is so in sight. It's kind of sad...it's bittersweet. I mean Mount Holyoke has taught
us so much and now we need to just go off into the world and use it."
(singing)
It's also one last chance for these seniors to sing the College's Alma Mater
on top of the mountain.
This is Taliesin Nyala for the Mount Holyoke Office of Communications.