Hollins traditions continue to be popular

But many students aren’t aware of all the traditions celebrated

 

By Julia Knox

 

On one end of the Hollins campus, a woman is walking up a mountain, fried chicken in hand, wearing the tackiest outfit you’ve ever seen. On the other, a girl has “Apt. 105 rules!!” written all over her face in marker and is leaving a shot glass addressed to “Drunk as a fish” in the Green Drawing Room.

 

Hollins is known for its traditions. Throughout the year, annual events are planned and parties are thrown to encourage bonding between the students (or “sisters,” as some like to call them). The traditions are one of the many ways Hollins distinguishes itself from other schools, and they offer opportunities that would be unavailable at much larger, co-ed school – can anybody imagine Virginia Tech’s 25,000 students hiking up a mountain?

 

Everyone knows that shenanigans (see above) that can come out of its two most popular events, Tinker Day and Ring Night. On Tinker Day, students dress in their wildest costumes, eat Krispy Kreme donuts, hike up nearby Tinker Mountain and perform skits and sing songs to their sister classes at the top, before enjoying the tradition Tinker Picnic of fried chicken and chocolate cake. On Ring Night, seniors adopt secret junior sisters and give them demands (often involving performing skits, giving presents, and drinking alcohol) that they must complete before they receive their class ring two days later.

 

But according to the Hollins website, Hollins actually celebrates 22 traditions, far more than the five or so the average student can name.

 

One tradition the average student might not think of is the pancake study break. One night during each exam week, faculty and professors cook pancakes and serve them to hungry, sleep-deprived, over-studied students.

 

“I love the pancake night during exam week,” said Elizabeth Bartenstein ’07. “It’s so funny to see people like Dean Ridley behind the counter flipping pancakes.”

 

Another not-as-well-known tradition is the golden rule dinner. According to the Hollins website, “Golden Rule Dinners are promoted by the Spiritual and Religious Life Association. One day each semester, the dining hall serves a simple meal of soup and toast. The money saved is donated to various service organizations that aid the less fortunate.”

 

Other traditions listed by the website include events like Convocation (opening and honors), Founder’s Day, Faculty Christmas Caroling and Holiday Tea. Opening Convocation is held the day before classes began, signaling the start of a new school year. It is followed by First Step, which involves seniors walking on Front Quad for the first time and many, many bottles of champagne. On Founder’s Day, held in February, seniors walk to the grave of Hollins founder Charles L. Cocke. Faculty members surprise studying students with Christmas carols the week of exams, and the Holiday Tea is a simple December  gathering of the Hollins community to enjoy refreshments and conversation.

 

 

“When I think of Hollins traditions, I think of things like Tinker Day, Ring Night and Founder’s Day. I didn’t know a lot of the traditions listed on the website were actually traditions,” said Brittany Addison-Prescott ’07. “Things like the Holiday Tea, I never really realized that we’ve had one each year and I never really thought of it as an important tradition.”

 

Some of the more popular traditions at Hollins, like Tinker Day, Ring Night, Founder’s Day, and 100^th Night (a party and slideshow for seniors, held 100 nights before graduation), might be considered more popular because of the size of the event and the amount of time that goes into them.

 

“Everyone knows about things like Hundredth Night and Ring Night because they’re some of the things you look forward to the most at Hollins,” said Kristina Mascelli ’07. “I know me and all my friends can’t wait ‘til we’re juniors so we can do Ring Night.”

 

“Plus,” continued Mascelli, “things like Ring Night are huge events that take up your whole weekend. It’s on a little different scale than something like eating soup and toast for dinner one night.”

 

One student, while acknowledging that Hollins does have an impressive amount of traditions, said that they have been stretching on their list of traditions on the website.

“They actually have Commencement [graduation] listed as a tradition on the website,” said Grace Kuznkowski ’07. “Does that really even need to go there? Of course we have a commencement, we wouldn’t be paying $30,000 a year to come here if we weren’t going to graduate. And that’s not specifically a Hollins tradition, like Tinker Day. Every college ever has graduation.”

 

While all students may not be aware of all the Hollins traditions, most agree that they’re an essential part of Hollins.

 

“One of my favorite things about Hollins is the traditions,” said Bartenstein. “They’re things that may look strange to outsiders, but they’re unique and wonderful to us. On Tinker Day, my away message is always something like ‘Tinker Day…it’s a Hollins thing, you wouldn’t understand.’”