Many Mount Holyoke traditions have moved recently from the recesses of our communal memory to the forefront of discussion. While Faculty Show brought out only fond sentiments of by-gone eras and the community was appeased with the preservation of class-colored OneCards, the fate of J-Term cannot be said to be as satisfactorily resolved.

Hey Seniors, put that cap and gown back into your closet and get out your biking shorts. This year May 15 marks the beginning of Pioneer Valley Bike Week, an event organized by MassBike to catch the eye of any cyclist, regardless of skill or age.

While so much of our day is spent sitting, reading, typing away at a computer or staring at a bright screen, chances to learn while doing something other than sit are often forgotten. Some students take solace in working out or playing a sport, a small group of students put their minds at ease while working and crafting pieces of rock into beautiful pieces of art. The lapidary club will close at the end of the term, after almost 50 years. The club has been a student org since the 1960s, when College master carpenter Sid Burelle, who did lapidary as a hobby, started up the club with students.

Hello fellow pillow talkers. This is the last column of my college career and I wanted to extend my gratitude to all of my pillow talk victims past and present.

On Wednesday April 21, the evening before Earth Day, I attended the Leadership Campaign’s final sleep-out of the semester on the Boston Commons. Unlike those on the Amherst and Cambridge Commons, this sleep-out did not have the official permission required to legally pitch a tent and spend the night. It did, however, have the same goals and gusto as every preceding sleep-out. The Leadership Campaign, joined by the Students for a Just and Stable Future (SJSF), organizes sleep-outs as a means of political demonstration. Both the Campaign and SJSF were formed on the premise that Massachusetts could emerge as a national leader in taking steps to prevent climate change.

During the week of April 12, Dining Services awarded its student workers coupons to The Underground for a cookie and a coffee in recognition of their hard work as part of National Employee Appreciation Week. Now it’s Dining Services’ turn to be recognized. During the week of April 25 to the 30, three student organizations have teamed up to bring Mount Holyoke’s first Dining Services Appreciation Week.

What I Learned This Year: Senior Edition.

It’s doubtful that even the most popular lecturer gathers a crowd the size of which spilled out of their seats at the Mount Holyoke Democrats’ Date Auction on Saturday, April 17 in Hooker Auditorium. Beginning at 9:30 p.m., the Dems auctioned off twelve “items” for charity to a packed lecture hall, with bidders overflowing into the aisles.

Among the women who have made a difference in the world, New Yorker journalist Jane Mayer is one of the top. Her lecture this Thursday, April 22, is not to be missed. Entitled The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals, Mayer will use the research from her best selling book to discuss the politics behind policy making.

I hadn’t heard of Mickey Avalon before I learned he was performing during spring weekend. Curious, I youtubed him and clicked on the first song that came up:“My Dick.” Within seconds, I slammed my computer shut, appalled, instantly hating him. I stormed into my friend’s room and declared that I would boycott the concert, like many of my fellow MoHos. After immediate shock subsided, I became increasingly fascinated by the performer, so I did a little reasearch. Turns out he’s not a misogynistic, evil bastard. If you did your homework, you would learn he was featured in premier feminist magazine Bust, or that he has excellent taste in literaure. If you choose not to do some research, read this interview instead. Lighten up, and open your mind to this powerful, insightful performer.