I won’t remember Spring Party Weekend, not when I wake up Monday morning, or ten years from now. Surprisingly, I’m not just talking about being blackout drunk. From day one at Colgate, first-years are enthralled with legendary stories of SPW. From everything I’ve heard, I have many reasons to look forward to this infamous weekend. My friends have lofty, if not sketchy, goals to accomplish before the end of the semester, and everyone seems to agree that SPW is a time when everything is acceptable. Whatever happens, this will certainly be an exciting weekend. The Roots are going to be phenomenal, and being able to wear shorts and sunglasses is long overdue. I’m sure I will be happy this weekend.

However, it is by no means going to be the highlight of my experience at Colgate thus far. There have been so many amazing opportunities to meet new people, hysterical times singing on the cruiser and academic achievements throughout the year. I would look back fondly on this year, even if an event like Spring Party Weekend didn’t happen, because the best moments were unexpected, unsophisticated ones, not the hyped up parties or the planned events. After the treat of 70 degree weather this past weekend, many people were depressed by Monday’s rainstorm. However, driving up the hill barely able to see out my windshield and screaming every time it thundered, I felt perfectly happy. It was a fleeting moment, but still wonderful.

Last December, I dragged my family to go see The Pursuit of Happyness, which for all its hype as the “feel good movie of the year,” was actually a little depressing. In the movie, Will Smith’s character comes to realize that the reason the constitution says we have the right to the pursuit of happiness is that happiness is not guaranteed to anyone. In the end, though, he recognizes the many times in his life that he found moments of happiness. And I have certainly had many of those here at Colgate. Even when I’m not feeling so blissful, I can remember that there were times I was content, and I know there will be more of these moments in my future.

So if SPW isn’t your style or you really do have to finish your thesis this weekend, it will not mean you missed the best part of the year at Colgate. Contrastingly, if you choose to be incoherent and nearly unconscious this entire weekend (which by the way has been official at Colgate since Monday night this week), you may very well end up missing one of these out of the blue moments of joy, which is more satisfying and more lasting than a cheap beer buzz. Spring Party Weekend, considering its reputation for utter debauchery, could actually be important to our success as students. Hopefully, a weekend full of fun and sun, I’ll be replenished enough to give maximum effort on final projects and papers.

From frats to the Jug, concerts to pre-games, this weekend is about having fun and pushing the limit on procrastinating. It’s a great way to chill with friends and make some new ones, and I’m glad it finally that time of year. But I didn’t come to Colgate for this weekend alone. I came here for all the good parts along the way. Yes, Spring Party Weekend could have some more of those happy moments I cherish, but the idea of this weekend as being the end-all be-all defining affair of the year takes for granted all the other times this year that were meaningful and enjoyable. Whatever your plans are for SPW, this summer, or the future, make sure you find happiness along the way, not just during the hyped up holidays.