Chapter 3:

 

FIRST BEER OF THE YEAR

 

Or first beers (plural) of the year would be more accurate. I’d like to begin with an analysis of the first ten days of UD’s fall 2006 semester. This info was, um, adapted from the 2006 - 2007 Academic Calendar:

 

Saturday, 8/26Sunday, 8/27Monday, 8/28Tuesday, 8/29Wednesday, 8/30Thursday, 8/31Friday, 9/1Saturday, 9/2Sunday, 9/3Monday, 9/4Residence hall move-in for new studentsResidence hall move-in for returning studentsNew Student Convocation, Fall Activities NightFall 2006 Classes begin at 8:00 AMClassesClassesClassesNo Classes. It’s Saturday, stupid.No Classes. It’s Sunday, dummy.No Classes. It’s Labor Day!

 

Well, upon close inspection of this schedule, one can infer that these ten days would be conducive to…let’s use the word, “socializing.” Five of these nights are non-school nights, meaning, no need to wake-up for class the next day. And then you KNOW that the Tuesday and Wednesday are just “Go over the syllabus and leave,” days. Unless you had a teacher who committed the atrocity of trying to teach you something the first day of class.

 

 

Dressed Down

 

“Fall, 1999. Microbiology. Class time: 8:00 FRICKIN' AM. We show up in jammie pants, tank tops, flip-flops, and ‘Hey-I-haven't-showered-or-brushed-my-hair-yet’ ponytails. AND THE MAN STARTS TEACHING. I don't even think I brought a notebook that day...”

 

- Kristin A, UD '02

 

 

BEGINNING OF FRESHMAN BEER

 

That formative first week on campus. Packs of UD freshmen wandering around. “People in every direction…” Well, as freshmen who have just landed on campus, how the hell did we actually know where the parties were? Not that they were hard to find, as a freshman I guess you could always walk around and find a random one...

 

...but what I'm getting at, is that there's NO way I can accurately remember how I ended up at any of the specific parties I’ll mention below -- did I meet someone who knew someone whose friend's older brother was having a keg, or something? Did I just get invited to go along with a pack of people -- who had maybe only known each other for a matter of hours -- where one of them "heard of" something going on?

 

Well, actually, since my roommate AB was on the soccer team, I did get invited to stuff right away, via one-degree-of-separation...

 

...but as for my first night at UD? Ummmmm. Way too long ago, don’t remember where I ended up. But here are some parties I vaguely remember, during my first week or two of freshman year. So, these would have been late August or early September '91:

 

Towne Court. Because of the proximity to Dickinson, this was THE place to go...all year long. Towne Court (now Studio Green), was one of the hot places to live at the time. Yes, this was towards the end of the UD era with kids drinking outside everywhere. Kegs outside, and all of that. I do remember running into a guy I knew from my hometown, we played baseball together growing up. He was one year older than me -- always great to have the upperclassman intros.

 

Someplace where I didn't know where I was. Thinking back now, very good chance it was Skid Row (not during Skidfest, of course). The reason I think it was Skid Row, is that I sorta remember the walk back. You know how when you wander around at night your first week, you really have no fucking clue where you are on campus? I vaguely recall walking back "in the general direction" from where we came, and passing the North Central dorms -- which I had no idea what they were at the time. All I knew was they were nice, classic looking buildings (and the next year, I’d end up living in one of them). Oh, and regarding the actual party -- another instance of me lucking out and running into an upperclassmen I knew from home...a girl a couple of years older than me, who was always cool to me, and she was in Phi Sig Sig. So, I had some hottie introductions. Nice.

 

Another place where I didn't know where I was. But pretty sure it was Ivy Hall. Highlight of this party? The first time I ever saw Sonic the Hedgehog for Sega Genesis! Hey, it was f'awesome then. Actually, it still is.

 

Madison Ave, I think. Also a very hot party street at the time. Pretty sure this party was a soccer deal. Three things I remember, 1) The 1991 MTV VMAs were playing on the TV (it might've been a re-air), and some dude sitting next to me on the couch fucked up singing along to the lyrics of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” 2) One of the guys who lived there was bragging about how he once ate two Domino's pizzas (one large, one small) and, 3) Thinking that the seniors at this party looked so mature -- like adults! It’s all relative, right? Uh oh, it’s time for…

Rumor: George Thorogood & The Delaware Destroyers’ "Madison Blues" is about Madison Ave in Newark, DE.

 

Dude, this is: False. I actually got in touch with Destroyers’ bassist Bill Blough, who told me, “'Madison Blues' is an Elmore James tune that the band had played from the beginning. Though (Destroyers member) Hank Carter had lived on Madison Ave for a brief period.” More from Bill, in another chapter!

 

 

Taste of Freedom

 

“I spent the first 14 nights of my college career getting drunk. This is what happens when you come from a strict house and have newfound freedom instantly. I spent my first night in college at the Paper Mill apartments.”

 

- Chubbs, UD '96

 

DelaWeather: I have two points to make…

 

“My first party at UD was in August of '03, I believe it was the day after move-in day. The location was Skid Row, and freakin’ everyone was there...it was POURING outside, and I mistakenly wore a white t-shirt...oops! Needless to say, I met a LOT of people (I’m guessing the t-shirt had something to do with it) and I remember thinking to myself, 'If this is what college is really like, I'm going to fail miserably.'”

 

- Kimberly, UD '07

 

 

BEGINNING OF SENIOR BEER

 

What a difference three years make. Start of my UD senior year, the mission was clear...MAKE IT COUNT. Hey, this is the beginning of the end, time to come out guns blazing. And with you and your friends all having turned 21 (or about to), it’s your “UD Bar Year.”

 

Okay, I remember this like it was yesterday: Late August '94. During one of our first few days of being back at school, I was driving the boys somewhere in my beat-up '85 Toyota Camry (loved that car, by the way). I seem to remember us driving on Kells or Academy -- down by Ivy Hall, where my buddies lived for two years. Can't remember where we were headed; maybe it was to go play basketball, or maybe it was one of our regular excursions to Taco Bell or Jake's Burgers.

 

From the backseat, my party loving buddy Ron made this well-crafted, profound announcement:

 

RON

"You don't understand, this is it man, last year of college, we have to go fucking crazy. I mean, like, we have to drink for like the next three weeks...

(pauses to reconsider)

...eh, maybe I'll extend it to four weeks."

 

I think it might’ve ended up being six weeks. And actually, let me get this revelation out of the way right now: I’m not a big drinker. Never have been, and as I write this, I don’t think I’ve had anything to drink for at least 3 years. Amazing from a guy who compiles a college nostalgia site, right? Well, it’s not like it’s some kind of moral or health decision. I mean, I drank my share at UD, but never acquired the taste for alcohol. Don’t like the taste, simple as that…can you really blame me for not taking to Beast?

 

However, I really enjoy going out to bars, hanging out, and shooting the shit. And man, was my senior year framed to accommodate that: I only had 12 credits each of my last two semesters, thanks in part to my scheduling genius, the prior three years. And my classes were all after 12 noon...which made it nice and easy to stay out late, and maintain my bar schedule: Deer Park, DU, Balloon, Deer Park, DU, Balloon, Deer Park, DU, Balloon…more about that later.

 

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