The Four Elements...

Well, Wednesday was my first (and probably only) experience at a Cambridge May Week June Event, and it was a success! I even stayed awake (surprisingly) until the party was over at 3:00am! Time sure does fly when you're dancing the night away. I couldn't fit my DSLR in my formal clutch purse, so I resorted to the point and shoot. This is fair warning that these pictures are mostly blurry and grainy, but at least they'll give you an idea of what the May Balls and June Events are all about.

On the way to Trinity Hall we stopped on St. John's sporting greens to take a picture. (Thank you, Harsh, for being such a willing photographer.) When I opted for flats instead of heels I was concerned I'd be under-dressed, but it turned out to be a good decision. The heels would have been kicked off by midnight I'm sure. Oh, and I like how you can see the guys in their white uniforms playing cricket in the background. That's one game I still do not understand.

We definitely had to stop again near the Bridge of Sighs, one of my absolute favorite places in Cambridge. I feel so fortunate to walk by it every time I go into town. I'm gonna miss the scenery for sure. (Sniffle.)

We came upon this line when we were approaching Trinity Hall. After a brief moment of panic and thinking we had somehow overlooked the costume requirement, we figured out that this was the queue for the King's College event. They had everything from the Where's Waldo to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the not-so-innocent versions of Disney princesses.

Finally, we found the line with people dressed like us in "smart casual" attire. I feel so guilty and I have to confess that we line-jumped with the classic friend-spotting maneuver. I think the girls behind us got a little frustrated as our group of cutters continued to expand before we made it inside.

As we crossed the river and approached the entrance, we caught a glimpse of the revelry that awaited us. The theme of the event was "The Four Elements," so most of the decorations were red (fire), green (earth), blue (water), and white (air). Each tent held a different food, drink, or entertainment option.

This was the group we stuck with for much of the night, all of them classmates from the Master's in Bioscience Enterprise course. Left to right: Matthew, Harsh, Tom (Dr. Strange - that's his real name), Riley, Alberto, and Nicholas (giving two thumbs up.) Behind them, you can see Victor in his green sport coat and bow tie. He was the mastermind member of Trinity Hall that got us all involved in this shin-dig. Also, Matthew and I stayed at his family's home in Brussels right before Christmas.

The food was really scrumptious. Bananas and fruit with chocolate sauce, doughnuts, fajitas, and burgers. I enjoyed checking out the goodies in every tent.

The entertainment was as varied as the food. There were a few stages that were constantly filled with music or performances. This was an a cappella group inside the formal dining hall. Out on the lawn we listened to a jazz band, a bluegrass ensemble, and a folksy guitar couple.

Probably my favorite spot was the 'Secret Discotheque' tent where the music was only audible to those wearing headphones. So, from an onlooker's perspective, the people participating seemed crazy because they were dancing around like maniacs in utter silence. But there are two DJs (each with their own channel on the headphones), so that once you put the headphones on, you are a part of the action. As the night wore on, it became more entertaining because people starting singing along to the songs. As you walked by you could hear tons of people singing off-pitch to the music inside their heads.

Harsh was keeping it cool as they dropped the remixed beats.

This was the main stage. I thought the tent ceiling was magical because it had tons of little lights that looked like scattered stars. This group generated loads of hype from the students. They were called "King Charles," and their lead singer was wacky. (He's the one crowd surfing with what appears to be a giant appendage sprouting from his head.)

You might be interested in this clearer closeup from some King Charles album art. Is he not just laughable? He's like a cross of Amy Winehouse's beehive, Bob Marley's dreadlocks, and Super Mario's mustache, with a hint of a Three Musketeer thrown in for good measure.

We held up pretty well considering this was taken shortly before 3am. I'm shocked my hair retained any of its curl for that long. Especially since my hubby and Alberto took me for several spins on the dance floor!

When the last act played the last number, a spontaneous audience chant broke out. It reminded me of fraternity and sorority songs that are sung on the way to functions or before rush events. This particular one was a very simple line repeated over and over, "Take your shoes off if you love Tit Hall!" Or something like that. Tit Hall is the nickname for Trinity Hall. Flattering.

Shortly before dawn (the sun rises at an obscenely early hour these days), we were the last ones standing. Survivors included Alberto, Riley (sorry we caught you mid-blink), Magda and her brother behind her, me, Matthew, and Harsh. I can't begin to count the prestigious degrees that this small group holds, but if I've learned anything from Cambridge, it's that incredibly intelligent people are people too. They like to sing along at concerts, swap stories about everything under the sun, and snack on cookies just as much as I do. The acceptance we've received from Matt's classmates is incalculable, and I hope they have felt our love for them in return.

The June Event surpassed my expectations, and I am so glad we attended. Definitely worth the price of admission, which was £79 a piece by the way. (Some of the more formal May Ball tickets cost upwards of £200 per person!) When we bought our tickets way back when, it felt like June was unimaginably far away. Yet, it has almost passed us by entirely! I'm floating somewhere between sorrow that we are leaving this lovely place and its equally lovely inhabitants, and elation that we are embarking on the next chapter of life in a warm climate with a house and a dog and chances to make new friends. Let's be honest, I'll be crying a lot over the next month or so. Coping mechanism. Can't help it.

I've heard rumors that we might go punting (pending good weather) this afternoon with a few classmates that are still in town. Last night was the course farewell dinner (pictures coming soon), and a large number of the MBE students were leaving today for their respective homes. How quickly they abandon us! Those that are hanging around for a few more precious days are attempting to make up for lost time and do as much as we can together. Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone?Anyway, Matthew just texted me to let me know that he finished his final presentation for the company he interned with! That means his work at Cambridge is officially finished!!! Completed. Done. Wrapped up. Concluded. And as one door closes, the next opens. Baylor College of Medicine orientation starts exactly one month from tomorrow. Life is an emotional roller coaster, isn't it?