Exploring Life Around the Hill

Through these stories, readers will experience the energy of campus events, the connections forged in classrooms and beyond, and the ways students engage with the wider community. Together, these reflections provide a vivid portrait of what it means to live and learn at Hartwick College today.

Each year, the Hartwick Campus Activities Board (HCAB) hosts Wick Express, a tradition that brings the community together for fun and engaging events. A wide variety of activities take place in Stack Lounge and above in the Commons dining area, breakfast for dinner is served!

This year, I had the opportunity to go and partake in the tradition. The first thing my friends and I did was go to the Commons to eat. When we walked in, we saw that the whole area was decorated for the occasion, with faculty and staff there to greet us.

Even more faculty and staff were serving food and chatting with students, and the room felt warm and welcoming. We grabbed plates of eggs, pancakes and sausage patties and sat down to reminisce about our years at Hartwick.

Once we had finished eating, we made our way down to Stack Lounge to check out the activities. The first thing I noticed was a big mechanical bull in the middle of the room. I had never seen one in real life and it seemed pretty cool. All around us, students were painting ornaments, taking photos at a holiday booth and playing games. Everywhere we went, people were smiling and talking with one another like one big community and it felt good to be part of something that brought everyone together.

There were stations for arts and crafts, ring engraving and even stuff-a-critter, where you could build your own plush doll. We decided to take some pictures in the photo booth and socialize.

As we walked around, the energy stayed high. Students laughing, trying out activities and enjoying a break from studying and prepping for finals. For a few hours, Wick Express made campus feel both relaxing and alive, giving us a chance to unwind and appreciate the community we have here at Hartwick College. By the end of the night, my friends and I left feeling tired, full and happy.

After a stressful week of classes, a small group of Hartwick friends tried to decide what to do. Three friends wanted to take a hike up to the Table Rock Trail. The other two would rather hang out in their dorms.

After a game of rock, paper, scissors, the friends decided they would take the hike. As first-year students, it was something they had heard about countless times, but on this bright and sunny Saturday morning, they would experience it.

After a short walk up the hills on campus, they arrived at their starting point. Their bags were packed with snacks, water and extra clothes in case it got cold. They read the map and decided which path to take.

The trail started gently, with a nice upward trend to start off the trail. Some in the group walked fast while others stood back to take in the scenery. As they climbed, the trail got steeper and watching where to step became more of a calculation.

They stopped often, not out of fatigue, but for photos, jokes or just to point out the way sunlight was hitting the trees. The friends observed things around, such as moss growing on huge rocks, animals in this peaceful environment and the many small Hartwick markers along the trees on the trail.