Drill this into your brains, first years: there will always, always be something to do on this campus. On any given day, you will be able to find something fun and exciting happening somewhere, from major events like Christmas Festival and the President’s Ball to informal Open Mic Nights in the Pause and Phenology Walks through the Natural Lands. Many of these events occur annually. Here is a list of some of the most popular ones to look forward to in the coming months:
King of the Hill, Oct. 4, the Pause Mane Stage
Half talent show, half beauty pageant, this event features eight Ole men competing for the title of Mr. St. Olaf in categories like formal attire and a talent competition.
Diwali, Nov. 2, the Pause Mane Stage
Celebrate South Asia!, a student-led group, marks Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, with traditional and modern dance, music, theater and food.
Christmas Festival, Dec. 5-8, Skoglund Center Auditorium
Perhaps St. Olaf’s best-known event, this nationally televised concert features all five choirs and the St. Olaf Orchestra.
Agnes A Cappella & the Limestones Christmas Concert, Dec. 12, the Pause Mane Stage
If Christmas Festival just isn’t your thing, check out Agnes A Cappella and the Limestones, St. Olaf’s women’s and men’s a cappella groups, singing songs of the season in their Christmas concert.
International Night, March 15, the Pause Mane Stage
Celebrate our school’s international community at this spectacular variety show. Don’t miss the International Banquet in Stav Hall afterward.
President’s Ball, April 26, the Buntrock Ballrooms and Dining Rooms
Dress your best and dance to a live jazz band or relax in the “piano bar” at the invitation of our very own President David Anderson ’74.
The Highlighter Dance, May 9, the Pause Mane Stage
This popular, end-of-the-year dance is a chance to blow off some steam before finals roll around … and to draw on each other with highlighters.
All of these events are a blast, and this list only scratches the surface. But with so much to do and so little time, it can be difficult to navigate the extra-curricular scene. So here is another list, this time it’s useful tips for staying in the know:
The Co-Curricular Extravaganza, Sept. 6, the Quad
More than 250 student organizations gather at this event to recruit new members. Each organization will have a table where you can talk to current members and sign up for their email alias. Some even give out free stuff!
Oleville.com and Ole the Lion Emails
Keep an eye out for weekly emails from Ole the Lion, in which the Student Government Association sends a short newsletter and calendar of events for the coming week. If these emails somehow end up in your trash folder, you can always check www.oleville.com, SGA’s website, for the calendar and other useful information about campus life.
Residence Life Staff
Don’t be afraid to ask your JCs if they know of anything going on that week. They may have even organized for your corridor to go to a larger event together.
The St. Olaf Website
Of course, when all else fails, you can find out what’s happening on the Hill with the St. Olaf Master Event Calendar at www.stolaf.edu/calendar. Here, you can direct your browser to any day of the year and find out about every event scheduled for that day. Helpful features of this calendar include the ability to filter events by type, perform a keyword search and access other calendars such as the Academic Year Calendars and Northfield Community Events Calendars.
You now have no excuse to be bored on this campus. Go forth and have a great year.
Andrew Wilder ’15 wilder@stolaf.edu is an Arts & Entertainment Editor for the Messenger. He is from Santa Fe, N. M.
