Overheard downtown

Nine first-year students took in dinner and a hockey game in St. Paul. We tagged along to capture some of the conversation.

***

Chanelle: Nicole, are you going to play club hockey this year?
Nicole: When is it?
Roheyatou: Can I just watch y’all play? I’m not getting on the ice.
Lily S: First practice is the 5th—it’s a come as you want type of thing.
Sam: Okay, we all need to play rugby next year!
Lily S: No—what? Oh, that’s terrifying.
Sam: It looks fun!

***

Sam: Guys…I passed my SMA test!
Multiple: Wait, what? I don’t know what that is.
Sam: Sports Medical Assistant. So I’m an official SMA, for my work-study job.
Liam: So you can wrap people’s ankles now?
Sam: Yeah!
Multiple: Awesome.

***

Liam: You know the video on TikTok—
Multiple: —Yes! (laughter)
Liam: It’s the one that starts, [sings] “It’s a quarter after 1, I’m all alone and I need you now,” and then all the guys come from the back? I want to do that one with the guys on my floor in Turck.
Sam: It’s “Need You Now,” by Lady Antebellum. That song is so good!
Liam: We were bopping to that song last night. It’s the a capella version.
Ceilidh: You know what band I love? Bon Jovi.
Mary: I’ve never listened to them.
Sam: I’m in a class about pop stars—we’ve been watching music videos and stuff.
Lily C: Like film analysis?
Sam: Yeah, except it’s for TV—in Media & Cultural Studies.
Lily C: Cool. I’m taking “The Middle East Through Film,” and we only watch Middle Eastern films, old ones and modern.

***

Ceilidh: Hey, everyone. The game starts at 7. If anybody has a test tomorrow, you can just Uber back to Mac early.
Lily C: I should, but I don’t want to.
Liam: That’s the most Lily thing I’ve heard all night.
(extended laughter)

***

STUDENTS
Chanelle Grosbard (New York)
Nicole Bednarik (Elmhurst, Ill.)
Roheyatou Ceesay (Bronx, N.Y.)
Lily Schwegler (San Antonio, Texas)
Samantha (Sam) Hopkins (Woodward, Okla.)
Liam Harris (San Antonio, Texas)
Ceilidh Smith (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Lily Cooper (Madison, Wis.)
Mary McDonnell (Silver Springs, Md.)