things to do before you graduate from wellesley: traying!

There is a list of 50 things that you're supposed to during your time at Wellesley College before you gr

aduate, and #10 on that list is: go traying on Severance Green. And yesterday night, I finally got to check that one off my list!

Claire and I made a date to go traying at 10:00pm last night with trays (stolen, shh!) from one of the dining halls that we borrowed from a friend. We got all bundled up in our ski coats and snow boots and walked across campus to the incredibly steep hill in the middle of our wintery, snow-covered campus. Wellesley College is always beautiful, but there are two times when it is absolutely breathtaking: right after a heavy snowfall and when the flowers are blossoming on the first day of Spring. We got hit pretty heavily with snow yesterday, and every tree, leaf, and exposed surface across our campus was covered with a fluffy thick layer of snow. It was gorgeous!

We hiked up to the top of the hill on Severance Green and the view from the top was spectacular. It's a steep hill, we already knew it, but seeing it at night with the lights eerily illuminating the trees and paths cutting through the snow, with muffled sounds of people screaming and laughing as they sped down the hill...that's different. It was like a scene from a painting or a movie.

Then, Claire, and I got ready for our turn! I have to admit, looking down from the top of the hill over the edge, I got a little anxious because I've heard of horror stories, girls breaking arms and tailbones, boyfriends accidentally cracking the trays on their way down and flying into piles of snow head-first...but it's an experience I had to have! 135 years of Wellesley women had done it, and so why couldn't I? With my butt on the tray, gripping tight to its sides, and with a little

push off my feet, I went speeding down the steep hill faster and faster! IT WAS SO MUCH FUN. Claire and I eventually found ways to do it best, to gather the most speed without falling face-first into the powder. We even saw one girl ski down the slope!

To the left is a picture that Claire took for me of me speeding down the hillside on a tray! Can you recognize my orange ski coat?

After traying for some time (and making a new track on one side of the hill), we went down the bottom and made snow angels and a really creepy looking snowman...the snow was a little too fluffy so they didn't stay together that well in the form of a snowman. We made more of a snow-worm.

All in all, a fabulous time spent with a wonderful friend! Yay for fun Wellesley traditions, and taking the time to participate in them :)