When you think of evening study breaks hosted at your dorm, you may relive experiences of accompanying your roommate, meeting one of your first on-campus friends or even some of the tasty snacks offered by your Commons house at gatherings. However, graduating from the freshman year experience does not mean leaving behind those memories, as every residential college offers its own study break.
On Dec. 3, we attended five of the six social gatherings offered to see what each residential college had to offer and to experience the holiday atmosphere in full force. We also attended one in the new year in order to ensure we experienced all six. Whether you’re craving a midnight snack or a night in with friends, we have put together a comprehensive list and ratings of all of the upper-division residential colleges’ social gatherings for your knowledge and enjoyment!
Oliver C. Carmichael College – Carmmunity Study Break
Carmichael strongly embraced the holiday spirit, with its Holidays at Carmmunity event on Dec. 3. The event featured cookie decorating, with colorful icing and various cookie shapes available for attendees to pick from. We personally enjoyed decorating a Christmas tree cookie, although the plain sugar cookie didn’t taste all that special. The main attraction of the event was a chocolate fountain with various snacks and fruit for dipping. However, the fountain didn’t work at the beginning of the event and then became clogged after 15 minutes of use, which disappointed all the chocolate lovers present. While the event had many engaging activities, their execution could have been improved.
Rating: 7/10
E. Bronson Ingram College – Bronson Break
EBI was celebrating E. Bronson Ingram’s birthday, with only those residing in the residential college being allowed to enter. With some slight convincing though, the faculty head of house allowed us to enter. Attendees were greeted outside the door with maroon and yellow striped scarves, corresponding with EBI’s colors. While feasting on any of the ten full–sized cakes and drinks featured at the event, residents could tune into a special performance by the Swingin’ Dores. Overall, we were highly impressed with the incredibly coordinated and very Hogwarts-esque setup.
Rating: 9.5/10
Moore College – Cosmoorepolitan
Moore College offers a much more casual approach to a social gathering at Cosmoorepolitan in comparison to the Hollywood-themed Warrenwood across the room. In theme with the holiday season, a selection of Christmas classics played as attendees picked up their study break snack: two cookies and a cup of Swiss Miss cocoa mix. While we enjoyed our two cookies, which were cinnamon–powdered and oatmeal raisin-flavored, they weren’t the most exciting offering. While it fit the theme of the season, a few minor improvements could have made it a lot better.
Rating: 7.5/10
Rothschild College – Roth ‘n’ Roll
After scanning into the Rothschild Great Room, we were greeted with a long table and a queue for this week’s study break snack. Roth ‘n’ Roll offered the same cookies as seen at Cosmoorepolitan, as well as multiple cocoa mixes and a spiced apple cider mix – something we have never seen before! Options were plentiful, as marshmallows were available for the cocoa and even full-size candy bars were offered. It’s unclear whether Rothschild consistently has so many options for its study break, but we were excited considering it was the final stretch before finals week began.
Rating: 9/10
Warren College – Warrenwood
On the opposite side of the Kissam Center, we were greeted with a red–carpet entrance, falling in line with the Hollywood theme of the evening. As a way of celebrating the holidays and the end of the semester, Warrenwood offered a s’more and a cup of hot chocolate, providing yet another sweet send-off into finals season. The s’more was exactly what you’d expect and hope for one to taste like; however, the melted chocolate (a Hershey’s chocolate bar) had an overpowering taste in each bite of the s’more, making it more of a chocolate-flavored treat than an even consistency.
Rating: 8/10
Nicholas S. Zeppos College – Zeppos Study Break
We were unfortunately unable to enter the Zeppos event during the week before finals, but we made sure to join for their first event back from break. Following a New Year, New Me mindset, the event featured journals and writing supplies for attendees to reflect and reset for the upcoming year. While contemplating their deepest thoughts, attendees could pick from eight Crumbl Cookie flavors. We tried and were very impressed by a cookie that resembled a s’mores pie, with soft marshmallow–flavored piped cream and chocolate mousse in a pie crust–shaped cookie.
Rating: 8/10
Even though some gatherings were stronger than others, we’re very glad to have made our way to all six events — which each showcased its own vision of having fun within their communities. We hope our experiences will inspire you to join a friend, grab a yummy snack and help build the community around you, whether that is in your dorm building or throughout campus!
