Friday afternoons have always been a magical time for me here at Middlebury. I’ve been fortunate over the years to only have class on Friday mornings, so that by the time lunch rolls around, it really feels like the weekend is here. Over the years, I’ve gotten into specific Friday afternoon routines (and as someone who generally dislikes changes and loves a schedule, routines work well for me) that have always signified the beginning of the weekend for me. During my freshman year, I went to a fabulous yoga class during the lunch hour, then ate a late lunch at Atwater dining hall with friends, and then spent my afternoons hanging in Battell and attending the weekly Friday snack provided by our CRA (something to look forward to if you’re lucky enough to live in Cook Commons freshman year!). Sophomore year, a friend of mine got me hooked on Grey’s Anatomy, so we would use our Friday afternoons to catch up on the previous Thursday’s episode. During junior year, Friday afternoons usually consisted of a long lunch in Proctor dining hall, catching up with the newspaper and with various friends as they floated in and out of the dining hall. And now, senior year, Friday afternoons are particularly sweet. I usually head to Atwater around noon and enjoy a classic Atwater Friday lunch of hearth bread (like pizza, but way better and the toppings are usually always veggies), Caesar salad and today in particular, a curried lentil soup, and catch up with various friends as they trickle in after morning classes. On Friday afternoons, everyone seems relaxed and excited for the weekend and whatever stress or worries of the week fall away.

Today also happens to be a gorgeous day in Middlebury, a bright and crisp late November day that shows off the absolute beauty of our campus. The Adirondack Mountains far in the distance are already capped with snow, the last of autumn leaves are swirling around campus, but the bright sun still adds a warmth and glow to the campus. As we head into the Thanksgiving break and the final weeks of the semester, I can feel myself dragging my feet, wishing for time to slow down. And every time we get a beautiful Friday like this, all I really want to do is sit for a leisurely lunch in Atwater, catch up on some Grey’s Anatomy, and look forward to the weekend.

So happy Friday from Middlebury and all of us Senior Fellows!