Friends, Family, Ferns, and Finished Paddles

By Matt Ferland & Autumn Nealis

The tension began to build noticeably on the Wednesday before mid-semester break, our one free weekend of the fall [Editor's note: there are actually many weekends that are free for Arcadians- this is the one weekend where students are given their technology back and are able to partake in whatever unstructured experiences they choose to]. Each Arcadian had been looking forward to the break for weeks, but the excitement had accumulated immensely approaching it. The days leading up to family dinner on Friday night, which was a massive feast involving Arcadians and their loved ones that preceded mid-semester break, were hectic, to say the least. Lots of preparation was needed to spice up Gannett Lodge, a building across Lake Massawepie where the dinner was to take place. Constant trips were made back and forth, not only to clean up the place for arriving families but also to complete our canoe paddles for woodworking class. On top of that, every Arcadian had big school assignments to deal with throughout the rising anticipation for both family dinner and the break.

One of them was our fern and tree projects for Ecology class, which just so happened to be due on the fateful Wednesday previously mentioned. Professor Sue Willson had tasked the Arcadians with identifying, collecting, and labeling twelve fern species and sixteen tree species found in the Adirondacks. Most waking hours outside class in the days prior to the due date were spent hunting down ferns and trees that could be found around Massawepie and using them to create our identification booklets. Arcadians came together during the process, helping each other determine what had been gathered and asking one another about questions that arose. On the night before the projects were due, the kitchen table was a smorgasbord of wood ferns, birch trees, black (or was it red?) spruces, and a variety of other species. We scrambled to assemble our materials, and by the next day each student had completed a fantastic, deserving-of-a-4.0 (Editer’s note: Prof. Willson’s assessment will verify the validity of this statement), fern and tree i.d. guidebook to turn in at class time.

On Wednesday night, following the massive release of stress felt when handing in the booklets, Arcadians couldn’t help but think more about the upcoming break. When asked about their feelings at the weekly community meeting held that evening, most Arcadians expressed their growing excitement. When it was his turn, Matt Ferland boldly stated that he “couldn’t wait for mid-semester.” These thoughts were quickly minimized after the meeting, as there was still a looming final exam for Modern Outdoor Recreation Ethics (M.O.R.E) the next morning. Accordingly, the rest of the night on Wednesday was spent cramming knowledge of knot-tying, map-and-compass-reading, tarp-setting, and stove-lighting into our brains. Assistant Directors Will Madison and Eva Wetzel had taught us these valuable backcountry skills throughout the first half of the semester, especially on our canoe and backpacking trips. Arcadians were nervous about the test the following morning, but Will and Eva, the class instructors, assured us that such feelings were not unfounded. They helped us study but left the rest to our own determination when it came to passing the exam on Thursday. It may have been tough, but every Arcadian was able to learn information that can be imparted to others so they can responsibly recreate in the outdoors. The class was a gateway to future leadership and change creation when it comes to sustainable practices in nature.

A giddy feeling set into the hearts of each Arcadian as the rest of the day commenced and they made their way to Gannett for a cleaning rendezvous in preparation for family dinner. The lodge had been utilized the past couple weeks as the central location for woodworking, so heaps of wood scrapings were strewn across the carpeted floor from our hard work. The rest of the day was spent vacuuming, organizing, and decorating the space to make it look more acceptable for the next day’s events. Arcadians also used this time to continue working on their paddles outside, since many still required a good amount of attention. A majority of that attention was directed towards looking forward to the weekend regardless. Excitement was barely contained, with some even comparing their jovial feelings to that of Christmas Eve. There was still much to be done, but the Arcadians went to bed that night thinking solely about seeing friends and family the next day. Almost like Christmas itself.

It was finally here. The moment we’d all be waiting for. The tension felt on Wednesday was nothing compared to the energy each Arcadian had on Friday morning, knowing there were just hours away from seeing loved ones. But first, there were paddles to be finished. We once again ventured over to Gannett, a familiar place by now, for our last woodworking class with master crafter Everett Smith. We’d been meeting with him every Monday and Friday since the start of the semester to carve our own unique canoe paddles. In those six weeks we had been able to learn much about both the process of woodworking and each other as we slowly created what became true works of art. We were granted a lot of carving liberties by Everett, whose woodworking experience made what we struggled with look effortless. “Mistakes will be made,” he said one time, “but you shouldn’t be worried. We’ll fix it.” His optimism and reassurance gave us motivation, along with his many stories and habit of saying, “Far out!” He was proud to see us finish our paddles, as were we after realizing how much work goes into making each one.

While final adjustments were being made to some paddles, those who had finished were helping to prepare for the night when the biggest communal dinner of the year occurred. At this point, there were still utensils, mugs, and plates to be cleaned, wood shavings to sweep, tables to rearrange, and decorations to set on them. The Arcadians worked together, delegating different tasks to each person, and soon enough Gannett Lodge was in pristine condition. With a fire going and some extra time before families arrived, we gathered around the flame. “We all sat around in quiet anticipation, waiting to see families walk through the doors,” recalls Finn Paulsen. “It was slightly boring for us following the high energy exertion of our preparations.” There was a fair amount of chatter on how we were going to react to outside company after two months of relative isolation, and although the seconds ticked by slowly, that moment eventually came. Anni Panici’s parents walked in first, and her reunion had us all smiling. Soon enough, more families arrived and were quickly introduced to the remaining Arcadians before being whisked away to visit the famous yurt village. The afternoon passed this way until families began showing up back at Gannett and food was put out.

The feast started with delicious appetizers, placed around small pumpkins. A slideshow was playing and Arcadians shared laughs about the memories while introducing their families to those of their classmates. Eventually, everyone sat down at the tables to chat and play cards, making the large room feel like it contained one big Arcadian family. A diverse array of dishes was presented for the group dinner, which is a very important aspect of the culture of the Adirondack Semester. Community is created when people dine together, and at family dinner that’s exactly what happened. The buffet, prepared by program directors and alumni, was happily consumed as Arcadians began to remember how to socialize. The entire afternoon had felt a bit overwhelming in that respect, but it went by quickly and soon the meal was over. Arcadians started packing up and saying goodbyes, in a little disbelief that we were going back to campus after so much time away. It was weird to be going separate ways with members of a community we’d spent the last two months with, even if only for a weekend.

All Arcadians got to experience the wonders of St. Lawrence in some way over the mid-semester break. It felt refreshing to see old faces on campus and catch up over Dana brunch. The weekend was different for each student, and the experiences on campus were shared extensively once we were all reunited. On Tuesday morning, when the school’s van left campus to return to Massawepie, an atmosphere of exhaustion and contentment filled the silence. The general consensus was that everyone was tired from the crazy, busy weekend and also unprepared for class in a few hours. A quick outcry for Dunkin’ Donuts arose as we left Canton, and then we were officially on our way. Energy was subdued, with most students enjoying the last couple of minutes with their phones. When asked about her emotions upon returning to the yurt village, Anni Panici said, “I feel like the weekend was exhilarating. I had so much fun with the people I love. As I got into the van, I was sad to leave that lifestyle behind, but I was equally excited about returning to the slower lifestyle I was used to.” While practically all students agreed with at least some part of those sentiments, there was a universal sigh of relief when we left the bustle of campus. Everyone seemed to agree that overall the weekend was eventful and worthwhile, but we were all in need of a good long nap in our yurts.

Being away from such a beautiful and relaxing place was beneficial in another way, too. In our time away from Arcadia, we became much more grateful for the life and community we have created. In our community meeting after mid-semester break, everyone recognized that we only have five or six weeks left in the woods and we need to make the most of this place and all of its gifts. The break put our lives in Arcadia into perspective and reinforced how unique and special this program is, and how lucky we all are. It was strange to be back on campus, thrown into a fast-moving world with technology all around us, yet we managed to slip right back into Arcadia’s rhythms as if no time had passed. So even if we do miss some of campus life, our friends or phones, we have learned how to appreciate the community we have in the present moment and how to bring some aspects of the semester with us as we move into the next chapters of our lives.