University of California, Santa Cruz First Rain
First, some background. UC Santa Cruz is a university that is rich with tradition. To this day in addition to a grade, students also recieve a paragraph or two written by the professor, detailing the student’s performance in the class. The first rain at UC Santa Cruz is another tradition. It is a ceremonial tradition, with its roots dating back to the foundation of UC Santa Cruz.
8:00pm – I notice the Meteorologist program on my computer is predicting rain through Tuesday. I look outside. No signs of rain to be found.
10:00pm – While watching a movie a housemate says to everyone, “Hey look, it’s raining.” “I love the rain,” replied another girl. At this moment everyone it the room realized that it’s the first rain. Everyone scrambles to get on clothes suitable for the rain.
10:15pm – People being congregating around the Cowell College fountain. Many people are obviously preparing themselves for the event, most however, I simply there to watch.
11:00pm – The rain has stopped but nevertheless people are outside waiting for the event to make its way over to Cowell. Those preparing for the event are the coldest. Many are growing impatient.
11:10pm – Lots of whistling can be heard and we know the event has made its way to our end of campus. A group of fifteen males come running past the fountain, down into the lower quad, naked as the day they were born. Within seconds several more naked people run by, this group includes a few females. Not shortly after the bulk of the group comes by. A seemingly endless stream of nude runners, many chanting “Get naked.” The group of naked runners assembles on the lawn of the lower quad. There is about one-hundred-fifty to two-hundred runners in all, each one as naked as the next. They run up through the Beard House, then out and off to another college.
11:30pm – I make my way back to Prescott House, where I see my neighbor down the hall, Katelyn, walking up the steps in her underwear.
12:00am – I tell myself that next year I will participate.
Update
When I’m wrong, I’m wrong. As one UCSC alumni pointed out in the following email, the naked run does not date back to UCSC’s founding years.
“The first rain at UC Santa Cruz is another tradition. It is a ceremonial tradition, with its roots dating back to the foundation of UC Santa Cruz.”
I wish.
Steve Nelson
UCSC Class of 1978
Thank you for the correction, Steve.