A College Christmas Dinner

awkward photo of my friends without heads/the robe

My college is weird. Very bizarre and set in tradition. Quite frankly I don't why I picked that one out of all the University has to offer, but either way I'm here and it's too late to change.

Tonight was the college's annual Christmas dinner. It was a high table dinner which means that gowns (yes, that's right gowns, - like long black robes à la Harry Potter) must be worn and formal attire is obligatory. We lined up a good 45 mins before dinner because last time for Thanksgiving Dinner in October, we almost weren't able to sit together because people don't understand the concept of a line -_-.

Anywho, these high table dinners are kind of a big deal. The profs, faculty, and various alumni who happen to still be around campus attend. You sit with your graduating year (or in my case, social year) and are served the meals - honestly, it's just like Harry Potter without the floating candles and awesome ceiling. One of our (lame) frosh cheers is "We're going back to Hogwarts!" when we head back to college (it might seem cool but it's actually kind of sad when you're yelling it at a college twice your size).

yummy yumminess

But I'll admit, it is fun to get all dressed up and revel in some Christmas cheer before exams start and the school goes on winter break. We sang Christmas carols and songs and were given candy canes to munch on. But why do I (and most of the University of Toronto) think is my college weird, you might ask? Well it's traditionally Anglican, although I can't name a single Anglican enrolled, and many of those traditions are still around. Our cheers and school song are in Latin, we say a prayer (in Latin once more) before high/low table dinners (although most of the college probs isn't religious, let alone comprised of dead-language-speaking Christians) and there is a "not-so-secret" society, Episkopon (wiki it). Some might say this is the heart of the college, such ingrained traditions, and yes they are right. It is what makes it unique. But it also contributes to the pompous stuck up reputation that it carries. It's a give and take sort of situation.

a part of the dining hall

Many people don't like it, but lots of people feel at home here, as is evident by the dining hall filled with laughter, toasts and off key singing. After filling myself to the brim with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and multiple baked goods, and stashing numerous candy canes in my robe, I think I'm one of those people finding my home, as traditional, weird and bizarre as it may be.