Core Crawl: First Years Drown Their First-Half Sorrows
Melanie Herald '02
Issue date: 11/5/00 Section: Features
- Page 1 of 1
Like most first years, I spent my second Saturday of October writing about whether a German music conglomerate should adjust its bonus targets. Really, it was an ideal way to spend perhaps the last warm day in Ithaca for 7 months. I felt like a marathon runner on the 25th mile as I put the oh-so-mediocre finishing touches on my M&O paper at 4:53 pm. At 5 pm sharp, seven weeks of pain instantaneously evaporated. Fortunately, there was light at the end of the tunnel: the Core Crawl.
The first stop on the crawl was Bibbi Mazoon’s. “Where’s the beer?” asked a number of first-years upon coming in the door. Apparently we have gotten spoiled from so many corporate presentations and happy hours. “Ohhh, we actually have to go up to the bar and pay for drinks.” Where was Braden when we needed him anyways? Paying for $2 beers hardly slowed us down though. Plus, we hadn’t gotten drunk since Wednesday, when we cleansed our minds with alcohol after the Economics final.
After 45 minutes of toasts to surviving round 1 of boot camp, we all moved over to the Johnson hot spot, the beloved Royal Palm. The crowd swelled for the occasion. Second years came out of the woodwork and those who put afternoon sleep higher on the priority list, emerged from post-M&O slumber. Alcohol was in abundance, as was the Palms Sweat Factor, which grew exponentially with each addition to the core crawl.
At 11, the crowd ventured onto Dino’s, a new stop for many of us and a welcome change from the sweaty Palms. The 100+ Johnson students took over the open-area bar, and, within minutes, shots were free flowing. It was then that many of us sealed our fate for a rough Sunday morning. An hour later, ringleaders Susie and Kerstin, ushered the sloppy crowd down the hill to Republica.
Judging by the long lines, Republica proved itself the most popular place in Collegetown’s metropolis. Not even the $5 cover charge ($3 for Johnson students, thanks to SA), turned off the undergrads, who were out in droves. Republica’s smoky, dark basement turned out to be home to Ithaca’s best rap DJ. Apparently, Johnson students weren’t that eager to dance as everyone headed straight for the bar.
Now call me crazy, but I decided to bring my parents along for the core crawl boozing fest. To my surprise, it seemed my parents were having a better time than anyone on the crawl. In fact, I had to put out a restraining order on my mom who was ready to start dancing on tables to sixties music at the Palms. By 1am though, I could already feel tomorrow’s hang-over coming on, plus my mom was slightly less enthused with the Republica rap scene. I put a parental curfew into effect but before leaving, took one last blurry look around me. Only one thing was clear: what had started as a cathartic and celebratory experience would end in frat-party style drunkenness five hours later. For those of you who missed out on the fun, there is always next year.
The first stop on the crawl was Bibbi Mazoon’s. “Where’s the beer?” asked a number of first-years upon coming in the door. Apparently we have gotten spoiled from so many corporate presentations and happy hours. “Ohhh, we actually have to go up to the bar and pay for drinks.” Where was Braden when we needed him anyways? Paying for $2 beers hardly slowed us down though. Plus, we hadn’t gotten drunk since Wednesday, when we cleansed our minds with alcohol after the Economics final.
After 45 minutes of toasts to surviving round 1 of boot camp, we all moved over to the Johnson hot spot, the beloved Royal Palm. The crowd swelled for the occasion. Second years came out of the woodwork and those who put afternoon sleep higher on the priority list, emerged from post-M&O slumber. Alcohol was in abundance, as was the Palms Sweat Factor, which grew exponentially with each addition to the core crawl.
At 11, the crowd ventured onto Dino’s, a new stop for many of us and a welcome change from the sweaty Palms. The 100+ Johnson students took over the open-area bar, and, within minutes, shots were free flowing. It was then that many of us sealed our fate for a rough Sunday morning. An hour later, ringleaders Susie and Kerstin, ushered the sloppy crowd down the hill to Republica.
Judging by the long lines, Republica proved itself the most popular place in Collegetown’s metropolis. Not even the $5 cover charge ($3 for Johnson students, thanks to SA), turned off the undergrads, who were out in droves. Republica’s smoky, dark basement turned out to be home to Ithaca’s best rap DJ. Apparently, Johnson students weren’t that eager to dance as everyone headed straight for the bar.
Now call me crazy, but I decided to bring my parents along for the core crawl boozing fest. To my surprise, it seemed my parents were having a better time than anyone on the crawl. In fact, I had to put out a restraining order on my mom who was ready to start dancing on tables to sixties music at the Palms. By 1am though, I could already feel tomorrow’s hang-over coming on, plus my mom was slightly less enthused with the Republica rap scene. I put a parental curfew into effect but before leaving, took one last blurry look around me. Only one thing was clear: what had started as a cathartic and celebratory experience would end in frat-party style drunkenness five hours later. For those of you who missed out on the fun, there is always next year.