Sproncert and Other Spring Things

Hello everyone!

For the first time, I am discovering for myself the joy of a Carleton spring term. Sure, as a junior, I realize this is *technically* my third. But it is the first one during which I have had the pleasure of being on campus. And it is quite a different experience!

Sproncert

This spring term marked my first sproncert! Sproncert is a Carleton portmanteau, combining the terms “spring” and “concert.” And that’s exactly what it is!

Sproncert: A Brief Background

Each year (well, y’know, when there isn’t a pandemic), Carleton hosts a big concert toward the end of spring term. The concert features a mix of student performers, local bands, and headliner acts. Members of the Carleton community bring blankets out to the field behind the Rec Center and enjoy the day with friends.

In addition to the music, there are food trucks selling delicious snacks and dinner. There are giveaways and t-shirt tosses. And, at the end of the night, there’s even a fireworks display! It’s a festive way to celebrate the end of the term.

Sproncert 2022

This year marked the return of sproncert. The pandemic has prevented the College from holding the annual festival since 2019. Because I started Carleton as a freshman in 2019, this was my first sproncert. And it was a great introduction to the tradition!

The day was grey and cold, but that didn’t deter the hearty student body of Carleton College! Students emerged in droves, populating the field and pulsating as one to the music. I had a blast listening to the sounds of Maude Latour and Tank and the Bangas, as well as student band Beans of Production.

While I wasn’t there the whole day (there’s only so much cold a Virginia girl can take!), I heard that every act was amazing and that the fireworks were a sight to behold.

A Picnic with the English Department

The English department sponsors an annual end-of-year picnic and softball game for those affiliated with the major. Like sproncert, this year was the first since the pandemic in which the event was held as usual. And it was such a fun evening! We gathered on Bell Field, where professors and students grilled, socialized, and played softball. The game was seniors against the world, and seniors won. Of course!

Overall, the picnic was a lovely way to enjoy a beautiful evening in the Minnesota May. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, the food was good, and it was really nice to see my English major friends. (Not to mention that it was a welcome break in the middle of a busy tenth week.) It was a perfect ending to my first spring term on campus!

Andriana is a native of Richmond, VA, though her love of snow suggests she might be a northerner at heart. She is in her junior year at Carleton, where she is an English major and a Cross-Cultural Studies minor. When Andriana isn’t busy staying warm in the Minnesotan tundra, you can find her binge-reading, playing music, or watching a favorite movie or show for the umpteenth time. Meet the other bloggers!