The 13th annual Lighting of the Quads, a celebration typically held during the last week of classes as a study break to kick-off the holiday season, has been postponed to Monday, Dec. 11.
The event was originally scheduled for Dec. 5 and moved to Dec. 6 due to expected heavy clouds and rainfall. Organizers were worried that students would not be able to fully see and enjoy the spectacle.
However, this would have conflicted with the Milton S. Eisenhower Symposium and the Hopkins Organization for Programming (HOP)’s Hasan Minhaj event at the medical campus. Organizers announced on the Facebook event page that Lighting of the Quads would be postponed to Dec. 11.
Interim Supervisor for Student Engagement Demere Woolway explained they wanted as many students as possible to attend.
“Our understanding was that there were 700 tickets reserved for Hasan Minhaj with 500 people on the waiting list — a large contingent of our student population,” she wrote in an email to The News-Letter. “We wanted to ensure that our students could participate in both of the highly popular events.”
Some students, like freshman Elana Rubin, were relieved that the event was postponed.
“I’m honestly kind of glad that it’s not happening this week because I have a lot of things going on,” she said. “I’m going to the Hasan Minhaj talk, and I really didn’t want to miss that.”
Senior Aditi Kannan was glad that the event was postponed because of other commitments.
“I would not have been able to go [on Tuesday] because I had an exam that day,” Kannan said.
Other students, like freshman Christopher Caputo, wish that the Lighting of the Quads would have happened as it was originally planned. He wanted a chance to go outside and socialize before reading period began.
“I really wish that the Lighting of the Quads could have happened this week,” Caputo said. “We’re all going to be super busy next week studying for finals, and I thought it would have been a good way to relax before we have to get intense again.”
Regardless of their schedules, students are excited to participate in the Hopkins tradition. For freshman Patrick Rao, Lighting of the Quads provides an opportunity to put down the books for a little while.
“Lighting of the Quads is my excuse to leave Brody next week,” Rao said. “I can’t wait for my study break.”
Many students, like freshman Mohammed Mumtaz, look forward to the fireworks in particular.
“Lighting of the Quads is going to be ‘lit’,” he said.
Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The News-Letter.