An Affair to Remember

I’m sure you’ve heard– William and Mary is all about community. You could look back on the posts of my tour guide peers and find a myriad of entries paying homage to WaM’s homeboys tradition and campus togetherness. However, tomorrow night, October 17, 2009, from 9pm – 1am, this sense of community is taken to a whole new level. Like hold the phones, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore, Lady Gaga at the 2009 VMAs level. Epic.

This night is literally– an Affair. The Green & Gold Affair, an all-campus dance held in the Sadler Center. Beyond the joy that two massive dance floors, a live band, and plenty of sweaty, singing undergrads can bring– the Green & Gold serves a greater purpose. Proceeds from ticket sales go to directly to groups on campus who registered for the fundraiser. For a mere $25 your group is eligible to receive funds from the night.

Sure– with over 400 student run clubs and organizations on campus, the profits may not be astronomical. However, there is another benefit of this great night and this, you guys, is where that good old William and Mary community rears its beautiful, three-hundred-plus year old head. Because this night makes it possible for any group to benefit, it seems there are samples of many types of William and Mary students present. There are members of cultural societies, club sports teams, greek organizations, and international service trippers, all coming together to celebrate a night of campus involvement in the form of dancin’ your brains out.

But, this is really a chance to recognize how very similar we are in our uniquenesses. For one night we can forget what we learned in our Senior Seminars on Friday, forget how much money needs to be raised before we can step on a plane to make a difference in Honduras, forget that just because we aren’t members of that a capella group doing some off-stage harmonizing with the live band singing Journey doesn’t mean we can’t belt along to Don’t Stop Believin’ (because really, how could you not)… and just bask in the shared love of the micro-communities that are so intrinsic in the deepening of our bonds as a strong community. This is a night for us to realize our similarities and strength (and I’m not just talking about the Weight-Lifting Club) and recognize the fact that there are really no “types” of William and Mary students but that the William and Mary student is a “type:” a highly involved and dedicated group who also happens to be able to cut a mean rug (pre-req for admissions).

A huge celebration, an all-night affair, a chance for us to come together before Homecoming next weekend (WOO GO TRIBE), and a moment of pure William & Mary elation, akin to the thrill Thomas Jefferson may have felt back when he was at Ye Olde Greene and Gold Affair of yesteryear, doing the box-step to some sweet fiddle jams. Seems like cause for celebration to me. And I don’t know if you could tell, but I suffer from no lack of excitement.

You know how sometimes when you’re reeeeaally pumped about something you can build it up until it becomes this monstrosity of fun in the distance that eventually ends up devouring itself whole? Well somehow the Green & Gold defies this age-old proverbial truth. Probably because for this one night only, the usual long-list of campus goings-on all provide the same time and location. I’m no chef, but this smells like the recipe for one massive night of campus unity and COMMunity.

Have a great weekend, think of me fondly from 9pm on, as I make this, my last Green & Gold Affair, an affair to remember.

Sara Grant, Class of 2010