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Seniors
Regardless of whether
students received letters,
"care-packages," newspapers
or magazines, mail was an
Afternoon deli~ht
T
he noon hour on a college campus
means more to the student than
simply a break from classes, watching
a favorite soap opera, or eating ·
lunch. It is also the time when one of the
day's biggest events takes place: the
mail arrives.
Whether living in a dorm or a house, it
is quite a happening when the mail
arrives. The mail carrier for a living
group quickly becomes very popular. As
he is first spotted with the day's mail,
cries of "Mail's here," and "Did I get
anything?" can be heard from far away.
Mail comes in many different shapes
and sizes, in addition to the traditional
letter. Magazines, home-town
newspapers, "care-packages" from
home, and a large amount of "junk mail"
are among the more common forms of
mail delivered to the campus.
"The junk mail that is delivered here is
amazing," said Susan Varelmann, an
Idaho Falls junior and mail carrier for
Olesen Hall. "Sometimes as much as
one-third of the mail is either junk or for
somebody who has moved off of the
hall."
But when the mail is in the form of letters,
it can be a source of competition
among friends. Many living groups have
an unwritten law that anyone who gets
five or more letters in one day gets
thrown in the shower.
Why does mail mean so much to so
many people? Many feel that letterwriting
keeps friendships alive after two
long-time companions go in separate
directions. And, of course, it is the
easiest way to keep up on gossip from
home and to find out how the "old gang"
is doing. And, there is also the chance
that Mom was feeling generous and stuffed
a five or ten dollar bill in with her letter.
There is, however, one disadvantage
to getting mail. Usually in order to
receive, one must send. Even though
most people like receiving letters more
than writing them, they also realize that
writing is the only way to .get mail. So,
somehow they take time from their
studying or partying to write an occasionalletter
to parents or friends.
An armload.
Kim Pagano picks up the day's mail for Delta
Delta Delta. The campus post office houses the
mail boxes of all the living groups on campus.
(photo by M. Touchey)
The rewards of letter writing are
numerous. No matter how badly a morning
test may have gone or how far
behind someone is in his homework, a
letter from the perfect individual can
give him the lift he needs to make it
through the rest of the day. And, as the
student heads off to his afternoon
classes, his thoughts return to school and
life on campus, forgetting home and old
friends - at least until noon the next
day. 0
58 Seniors