“Katy! Katy! Katy!” everyone was shouting. Is this a dream? Am I really sitting on the RAs' shoulders? Is everyone really shouting my name? I should start at the beginning.

I remember leafing through what seemed to be hundreds of college information packets trying to decide what housing I liked the best, what major I wanted to pursue, what concentration I should pick, and the kicker—what school I should choose. My big sister went to Messiah College when I was still in high school, and my family frequently rode out to Messiah to visit her. There were Easter Egg hunts courtesy of Eyas and Family Week led by Messiah’s own Loft outdoors team. After many visits to Messiah, I finally decided I wanted to go there.

For anyone that has graduated from Messiah, is enrolled or is coming in the fall, the above are (or will be) fond memories for all of us, but those aren’t my favorite. My favorite, and one of the things I looked forward to the most, was Res Hall games. My sister was a “Witmer-ite,” and I hoped I would get “sorted” into my rightful place with the other Witmer freshman. The fateful day in July came, and, yes, I was sorted into Witmer.

After we all moved in to college the day for Res Hall games came. We donned our red t-shirts, I tied a red bandana around my head and we headed outside. I was handed a paint tube and drew a red line on each cheek.

“You were born to be a Witmer resident” the RAs whispered with reverence and spirit. We looked to around at each other, only knowing a few other residents, and we believed. We were supposed to be here. We were supposed to meet these people.

And from Witmer we marched, all the while cheering "Wit wit what? Wit wit what?" If you don’t know Messiah's campus, then you don’t know that we had the longest walk down to the Starry fields. Naugle just had to cross campus, and Bittner just had to emerge from the woods. But we had to march down our hill then on road, and finally we ran to the covered bridge to make our grand entrance chanting “Wit wit what? Wit wit what?"

By now adrenaline is high and all nervousness fades away. And the games begin. We start by sitting in the shape of the letters of our dorm—Witmer wins! We do a sitting circle, and then it is time for rock, paper, scissors tournament. I was already excited for games, but I thought “how cool would it be to win this part?”

Well, as the game went on I kept choosing paper first (instead of the trained reaction scissors), and I kept advancing. Little by little I was the last one left for Witmer, and the chant started “Katy! Katy! Katy!” I was carried to center field, where I met the winners from Naugle and Bittner. The Bittner guy uttered a joke, and the Naugle girl got out. It was Witmer against Bittner. I went paper and he went rock. It was over. Witmer won.

We went on to relay races, mattress surfing, pulling our RD down the river and swimming in breeches. And I loved every second of it. I instantly bonded with my dorm, my floor, and my RAs. It was incredible. Even if I didn’t win the tournament, I think it still would have been my favorite Messiah tradition because we gelled and became a community.