Activities

Activities are held at all sites. They are structured, non-class events that students can sign up for, normally in the Hall Meeting the night before. Although some activities occur at nearly every site, each site has its own traditional activities, too.

What, When, Where

Activities are held in the afternoon, between the after-lunch class session and dinner. There are two per weekday, one right after the other. At some sites, one is a weekly activity, while the other is a daily. Some also call the first activity the "A.M." activity; the second, logically (or not?), is known as the "P.M." activity, although this is rare, seeing as both occur in the afternoon.

Activities last either 45 minutes or an entire hour, depending on the site. There are usually many choices for activities, and for the most part, one will sign up for activities during hall meeting on the day before. The activities are led by one or two RAs or other staff members, and can range from doing absolutely nothing, to traditional games like Silent Football and Mafia, and even to extremely active, physical sports on the campus's sports fields.

Other non-Activity activities include Mandatory Fun and Quad Time, which is known at some sites as Meet Market or Social Time.

Standard Activities

These are standards at most sites, and occur fairly commonly.

• Music Practice - Activity where students go with an RA to a free building on campus to practice assorted musical instruments. It is usually cramped, noisy, and/or un-airconditioned, and there are only ever a few pianos, if any. It's probably better to just practice in your own room Sunday morning. This is a morning activity in Saratoga (i.e., you wake up extra early in order to go practice your instrument).
• Running- This activity can be common both during an activity block and at some sites in the morning, renamed "Morning Run".
• Book Discussion - A very common activity when a new Harry Potter book has come out, which won't ever happen again.
• Movie Watching - Harry Potter movies, Musicals, Monty Python... basically anything rated PG-13 or lower. LAN has none of these.
• Quiet Reading / Generic Free Time - These activities usually go by different names, like "Cloud Watching" or "Sleeping", and can occur indoors or outdoors, depending on site. Basically, you can do anything.
• Dinner Alternatives - Usually in the Activity period just before dinner, this activity can range from anything from a BBQ to a vegan party to Jewish Cooking (Carlisle). Sign-ups are limited, and the activity occurs very rarely (2-3 times a session). This is not found at Lancaster, Los Angeles, or Saratoga.
• Mafia - The classic game.
• Sports - Assorted organized sports on campus.
• Swimming/Tennis - Only if the campus has facilities (Lancaster/Carlisle, for instance)and will sometimes take up both activity blocks for that day.
• Pilates or Yoga - Not offered at Saratoga; instead, there is Meditations.

Traditions

Each site has its own traditional activities. Feel free to add yours onto the lists.

Lancaster

• Acting Improv (AI) - Funniest. Activity. Ever. You can participate or just watch the madness.
• Agreedball.
• Assorted Tournaments - Quiz Bowl, Ultimate Frisbee, Agreedball, Soccer, Tennis, Swimming, etc. The Poker Tournament is always held on a weekend.
• Board Games - Offers a variety of games, but many students prefer to bring their own due to the inevitable shortages.
• Card Games- Bring some cards and enjoy the many CTY card games such as Mao, President, and ERS.
• Cloudwatching, Chillaxin', Reading Under the Trees, Naptime, Invisible Fireworks, Daytime Stargazing - Assorted names for free time; usually held outside on the Quad near Thomas.
• Competitive Number Counting- LAN.8.2 singing numbers inspired another activity later in the session (named 1,705)
• The Couch Game.
• Courting and Wooing - RAs take it very seriously; handouts are sometimes included. Can be absolutely hilarious.
• CTY Jeopardy.
• Discussion Group (DG) - CTY Traditions, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Harry Potter, World Domination, etc. No other book discussion groups besides Harry Potter.
• Extemporaneous Debate - This was created by RA David Bing.
• FLAAR - "FLAAR cannot be described, but only experienced."
• Follow the Hager - Follow RA Brain Hager around for an hour, chanting his name. Helps some sqirrels get to learn the layout of the campus (on the last day of activities). Some just think it's fun. There was also a variation of "Follow the Wang/Frank" and in 08.1, an activity called "Follow the Tom." The activity was on a temporary hiatus in 07 due to a lack of Hager.
• Fun With Duct Tape - It's DUCT TAPE! Of course there's an activity for it!
• GLOW (Gay, Lesbian, or Whatever) Discussion Group - A fantabulous activity with lots of awesome people.
• LARTH (Languages of Antiquity Research for Thrill and Honor) - these consist of one-hour introductions to some obscure language. In LAN 06.1, Etruscan and Cuneiform (mostly of the Sumerian variety) were offered.
• Music Singalongs - Disney, Wicked, Rent, Canon, etc.
• Movie Trailers - but no movies.
• Mural Painting - On South Ben, to 'give back to F&M College', or some such. It looks nice.
• Silent Football- Need we say more? The activity has both more experienced circles and one for CTYers unfamiliar with this tradition.
• Sports in Mayser Gym - More competitive.
• Sports on Hartman Green - Less competitive.
• Sudoku.
• Talent Show Practice.
• Ultimate Frisbee
  • Non-Ultimate Frisbee.
• World Cup Soccer - The World Cup took place during LAN 06.1, and so one or two people from each hall were allowed to attend. This necessarily took up multiple days worth of activities slots.

Carlisle

• Kline - Activity #1 for every activity period. Double-Kline: to do Kline both activity periods.
• Chillaxin', Cloud Watching, Naptime, Staring blankly at the ceiling with your mouth hanging open - Assorted names for free time.
• Musical Theatre Singalongs - Out of tune pianos (with pieces falling off), Oberlin RAs, and piles of sheet music.
• Ballet 101 - To get in touch with your inner Rina.
• Swing Dancing - Usually run by Chris White. The main goal of swing dancing is to, "Look cool."
• 80's Dance Party/Singalong.
• Meditation.
• Bizarro CTY.
• How to survive a Zombie Attack - Run by RA Drew. Learn handy phrases and ways to survive Zombie atacks. Such as how to say "Are you being eaten by a Zombie?" in sign language.
• Kill Murray/Save Murray.
• Sock Puppet Super Fun Time.
• Chalk Graffiti.
• Don't Pick This Activity! (a Skidmore tradition that was brought by a flying squirrel, C.J., and run by the amazing Dan).
• The Worst Activity Ever.
• Craps in the Super Quad Arch.
• Colonization - Because Rich is British and Chris is insane (and likes to wear capes). BURN THE PAGANS!!!!!!!!
• Fun With Duct Tape.
• Pirates vs. Ninjas.
• Poetry Circles.
• Places You Can't Go. At 2008.1, some of the tour stops were Brett's room, and the catwalk above ATS Auditorium.
• Discussion Group: East Coast vs. West Coast Rap.
• Discussion Group: Feminism.
• Slackjaw.
• Fun With Fluff That Marshmallow Stuff.
• Feet Painting.
• Guitar Circles.
• Silent Football.
• Music Appreciation - various types including Indie, Showtunes, and the Beatles.
• The Game.
• And most importantly...Starcrash.

Saratoga Springs (Skidmore)

• R.A.S.K. (random acts of senseless kindness).
• Chillaxin', Cloud Watching.
• Ninjas vs. Pirates vs. Cavemen.
• Sidewalk Chalk.
• Fun with Duct Tape.
• Got Game? - learn how to pimp out the ladies (and gents).
• DOOM.
• Do Not Sign Up For This Activity!
• Pet Rocks.
• Noodle Bashing!

Los Angeles (LMU)

• Disney Movie Appreciation.
• Backstreet Boys Appreciation.
• Yearbook.
• Kemps.
• Wah!
• More Active Than Sleep (But You Probably Won't Break a Sweat).
• Sidewalk Chalk.
• Protest (Down With the Man).
• Robot Wars.
• Duct Tape Jason and Brian to a Tree.
• Color Book Brian.
• Talent Show.
• The Worst Activity Ever (seriously) (actually also a Mt. Holyoke College baby-CTY tradition).
• Cavemen.
• Make Bil' a merman.
• Sudoku.
• How to be a Central American Dictator.
• Trench.
• The Worst Movies Ever (over 100 kids signed up for this weekly).
• Braveheart.
• Swing Dance.
• Ultimate Frisbee.
• Bananaphone Appreciation.
• Art of War.
• Cloud/Smog Watching.
• MP3 Appreciation.

Baltimore (JHU)

• Acting Improv (of course).
• Silent Reading, Cloud Watching.
• Talent Show Rehearsal.
• Do You Want To Buy A Duck? - Involves waterguns and RAs holding you hostage.
• The Worst Activity EVER.
• Friends Watching.
• Friends Trivia.
• Real Men Wear Pink - Inspired by the RA Ben walking around in very, very, very pink shorts.
• Downhill Rolling.
• Music Practice.
• Kindergarten Games - Involved inappropriate phrases during Whisper Down the Lane.
• Starburst Flowers - Yummy.
• Ridiculous Dancing.
• Spelling Bee - In which not one person spelled a word correctly in the first round.
• Sports: Tennis, Basketball, Soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, etc.
• Swimming.
• Hula Hoop Contest.
• World Cup Watching (06.1)
• Manga Appreciation.
• Some activity which led to "Dinosaur Noises" with RA Brian in 06.1
• Ninjas/Cavemen--see the Hall of Fame:JHU for details.

Easton

Many of these did not occur in 2006.

• SNAKES!!!.
• FLAAR- a card game developed by the RAs.
• Easton Science Theater 300(0) - based off the show Mystery Science Theater 3000. Often times showed the Rambo animated series episode "Battlefield Bronx."
• Star Wars Galactic Senate - Sit and talk about Star Wars.