Check out this year’s WesFest calendar:
Very conspicuously absent on Saturday’s schedule is Zonker Harris, or any kind of WestCo event at all. But rest assured, the “Ze Who Must Not Be Named” festival is still on.
It’s disappointing that the Office of Admissions isn’t letting the class of 2013 know that this event even exists, when it was such a major part of WesFest for a lot of us back when we were prefrosh.
But if they’re trying to distance themselves from WestCo’s “stupid hippie/druggie image” or whatever they call it, I guess this is the best way to let students have our fun while keeping uptight visiting parents from getting nervous, or whatever their issues were. It beats having Zonker Harris shut down altogether, which the administration tried to do last year.
Prefrosh Wesfest attendees, keep in mind that while the official schedule has plenty of worthwhile/interesting events on it that you might want to attend (and should), some of your favorite parts of Wesfest will likely not be anything officially listed.
You’ll find that the administration tends to ignore aspects of student life at Wesleyan which embarrass them. Like Zonker Harris Day, which apparently has undesirable countercultural connotations. Like Wes alum Tristan Taormino‘s WesFest lecture, which I guess was too sexy to include in the schedule? So keep an open mind when you get here – student life is a huge part of what makes Wesleyan unique.
You should join large groups of fellow wandering prefrosh, break away with the new friends you make, talk to current students, and ask around to find things to do/places to go. This goes without saying, but you won’t get a feel for what Wes is really like from the itineraries the admissions office gives you.
If you still don’t have a host to stay with, you won’t be alone – bring a sleeping bag and spend a night or two anyway. Even if you don’t find a host once you arrive, you’re guaranteed some floor space in the various dorm lounges around campus, and the company of fellow prefrosh for impromptu slumber parties.
And stay at least until Sunday afternoon if you can help it, if only to witness the epic 100-person orchestra playing Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band on Foss Hill, courtesy of the Bea’les (a 4/20 tradition of sorts in years past, on 4/19 for your enjoyment this year). And hey, if you can stay until Monday to uh, sit in on classes or something, you won’t regret it.
Oh, and keep in mind that Wesleyan does also entail taking classes and actually doing work. But that’s for another time – this is WesFest.
Everyone else, show those prefrosh a good time!
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again, not true. funding was gotten late, but it was actively turned down on the basis of its potentially offensive content. not sure where you’re getting info from, but it’s wrong. from an obvious perspective, there’s no reason why you can’t just change something posted online, even if you only have a week to do it. it was rejected. but it is still happening, so there’s that at least.
again, not true. funding was gotten late, but it was actively turned down on the basis of its potentially offensive content. not sure where you’re getting info from, but it’s wrong. from an obvious perspective, there’s no reason why you can’t just change something posted online, even if you only have a week to do it. it was rejected. but it is still happening, so there’s that at least.
The only reason Tristan is not in the WesFest schedule is because they only secured their funding last week…too late to include. No malice by the administration at all.
The only reason Tristan is not in the WesFest schedule is because they only secured their funding last week…too late to include. No malice by the administration at all.