Casual stalking in Umphrey Lee

Naturally I was listening to a conversation in Umphrey Lee Cafeteria about Mardi Gras.... Here is a feature story that I had to write about my eavesdropping.

Multicolored bags and pillows littered the floor. The tiny corner booth was filled with anxiousness and chatter. There was an unusual buzz in the room this morning. The overcast grey outside was not enough defense against the students happiness. The smiles stayed in tact, because this weekend was different from any other, this weekend was Mardi Gras.

Sara, a twiggy blonde, tossed her Iphone on the table after sending a text. “What are we getting ourselves into? Like, where are we even going, Lousi-what?” she said. Her calm and collected friend Jillian fired back and said, “It’s Lousiana, and I don’t know, your guess is as good as mine.”

Both of the girls hail from the northeast, so Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Lousiana is a completely foreign term in their vocabularies. This week long party is held on the streets of New Orleans, and packed with people from all over trying to catch a glimpse of this eighth world wonder. Beaded necklaces are thrown at you on the street like bombs, “Hand grenade” drinks, along with their infamous “Hurricane Katrina” drink, flow freely, and people gather to experience the madness that is Mardi Gras.

An eight hour drive from Dallas, New Orleans offers a weekend that SMU students have increasingly been attracted to. Students are searching for a good time like Christopher Columbus was in hunt of America, and nothing will stop them from getting there.

As they mashed up the rest of their omelet from the Umphrey Lee cafeteria on SMU’s campus, they made use of their thumbs and dialed another explorer in their troop.

“Where are you?! I’ve been sitting in Umphrey Lee for the past hour. I’m ready to gooooooo,” Sara said.

The unknown member of their group informed them that he/she would be there in five in to grab their things and head outside. A silver Mercedes sedan rolled into Umprhey Lee’s parking lot and the girls shoved their Louis Vuitton suitcases and Vera Bradley floral bags inside. The trunk door shut and the explorers were on their way to conquer new territory.