Over the past couple of weeks, the weather here at Middlebury has both given us tempting tastes of the spring temperatures to come, and also realistic reminders that it is still only the middle of March, and thus, entirely within the realm of winter in Vermont. Some say that the fifth season in Vermont is mud season, the time of year after the last snowfall but before the weather warms consistently, where the ground that has absorbed snow moisture for the entire winter finally emerges in a slushy and muddy mess. However, despite this sometimes unpleasant transition between the seasons, mud season signals the beginning of spring, and all of the lovely arrivals of one of the prettiest times in Vermont. I love April and May in Middlebury because the grass finally appears again, and it is green, a refreshing change after months of brown and grey. The trees on campus start to bloom, and beautiful pink blossoms appear on the cherry trees outside of Battell. During my freshman spring, my friends and I spent many Friday afternoons lying out on a beach blanket on Battell Beach, pretending to do our reading, but really just basking in the sun. Aside from the weather changes, the spring season brings some special events to campus. Midd Mayhem, an annual springtime tradition hosted by MCAB (Middlebury College Activities Board) with outdoor games, movies, and a special outdoor picnic dinner, arrives in May. The Spring Student Symposium, an entire day dedicated to students presenting original research, comes at the end of April. The spring concert, also hosted by MCAB, which will feature the artist Wale this year, is another exciting tradition that draws huge crowds of students. And here in the admissions office, we are preparing for Preview Days, a three day campus-wide event in April in which admitted students are invited to campus to get a taste of what life is like at Middlebury. The program over these three days features panel discussions for students and parents, open club and student organization meetings, chances to meet with professors, and lots of special performances, shows and presentations.

 And for me, and all the other senior fellows in the office, this spring will undoubtedly bring feelings of nostalgia and sadness as it brings our Middlebury time to a close. I’m looking forward to taking advantage of these events and many more as the weather gets warmer, the flowers start to bloom, and the beauty of spring returns to campus.