On the night of Thursday, September 24, large groups of seniors flocked to various downtown venues to participate in Senior Day celebrations, which were sponsored by the 2010 Class Council and Student Government Association.

The events started with Senior Class Happy Hour at Donovan’s Pub, where, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., students enjoyed conversation, drinks and free pizza. This marked the return of Donovan’s Happy Hours, which will occur weekly on Thursday afternoons.

Following Donovan’s, students had the chance to attend the Alumni Council Networking Reception, proving that Senior Day is not solely about reliving first-year memories at favorite watering holes. The reception, which was put on by the Center for Career Services, offered the soon-to-be workforce the chance to speak with an array of Colgate alumni from various professional fields. The Networking Reception was presented as an informal, low-risk opportunity for seniors to utilize one of Colgate’s most valuable assets: alumni. Donovan’s served as the perfect host and acted as a forum for students to interact with former Colgate students and get first-hand information regarding career paths and job possibilities.

After attending the reception, many seniors were eager to put off the inevitable encroachment of the “Real World” and found Dorm Reunions to be a flawless remedy. Various downtown bars boasted drink specials, as students attended designated locations according to their first-year dorm. Despite the fact that many seniors found themselves wondering where their first three years had gone, students thoroughly enjoyed the night’s events.

The reunions, which lasted until the early hours of the morning, offered students a chance to enjoy the evening with current friends as well as catch up with old ones.

“It was really fun to see some familiar faces that I haven’t seen in awhile,” senior Sarah Looney said. “It’s crazy how much people have changed throughout their three years here. But we are definitely all still freshmen at heart; I know I am.”

Downtown businesses that participated in the event included La Iguana, Nichols and Beal, The Hour Glass and Risky Business. Each venue offered a unique drink special and atmosphere. Because of the sizable turnout, some of the bars struggled to accommodate the excited seniors; long waits often met those who were trying to get drinks. Still, the night was not without its share of loud toasts, chants advocating a first-year dorm’s supremacy and recollections of seniors’ youthful endeavors.

“I really can’t even begin to believe that our class is celebrating Senior Day. It seems like I was moving into Andrews yesterday. Now I’m celebrating Dorm Reunions? Wowsers,” senior Peter Smith said.

The fact that not a single student was written up by their dorm residential advisor (RA) not only represented a change from their festivities as first-years, but also served as a small indicator regarding the event’s overall success.

“All of the reunions were fun and very well-attended,” senior and President of the Class of 2010 Elizabeth Oblinger, who helped organize the festivities, said. “Overall, it was a great opportunity not only to relive the fun of freshman year, but it was also fun to reconnect with friends from the past and see how everyone has progressed through their years at Colgate.”