10 Reasons We Can’t Wait for Spring 2021

1. Fox Day Returns

The return of our most beloved tradition belongs nowhere but the tippy top of this list. While we can’t say for certain what Fox Day 2021 will look like, we know this year’s edition will feature all the key ingredients of Fox Days past—fun, sun, and a 24-hour reprieve from classes. So, fire up the Fox Day Cam and brush up on your powers of prognostication because everyone’s favorite day will be back this spring, and it can’t come soon enough.

Photos by Scott Cook.

2. Welcome to the Neighborhood

It’s tough to overstate just how much the new Lakeside Neighborhood will invigorate life at Rollins when it opens to the campus community this spring. After all, the 250,000-square-foot facility is shaping up to be nothing short of awe-inspiring. The Neighborhood’s expansive pool, sprawling outdoor deck, and sloping green space will create hundreds of open-air study spots and sun-drenched lounging locations—all with epic views of Lake Virginia. The 3,080-square-foot fitness center will make safe workouts a snap, and the 1,200-square-foot movement studio will host everything from yoga and pilates to barre and meditation. Meanwhile, the market and cafe will offer everything from healthy snacks and groceries to Fair Trade coffee and fresh-pressed juice.

Photos by Scott Cook.

3. LipSync

Get your choreographic creativity flowing because Rollins’ annual dance battle is just around the corner and bragging rights are on the line. This year’s edition of LipSync will move from the Alfond Sports Center to a virtual stage, but don’t expect that to put a damper on the friendly intensity of this more than 20-year-old Rollins tradition. As usual, this SGA-sponsored event will be open to all campus organizations, so assemble your crew, coordinate your moves, and take your shot at the coveted LipSync crown.

4. MLK Week

The College’s annual celebration honoring the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the most important weeks at Rollins every year. While this year’s program is still being finalized, you can bet that the 2021 edition of MLK Week will be packed with opportunities for reflection, conversation, education, celebration, and service. The Center for Inclusion & Campus Involvement has already announced a spoken-word and poetry contest tied to this year’s MLK Week theme, “The Urgency of Now!,” and critically acclaimed historian, activist, and writer Blair Imani is set to speak. Stay tuned to the MLK Week webpage over the next month to see the weeklong celebration come into focus.

5. Stay social while social distancing

Whether you’re watching a movie under the stars on Mills Lawn or paddleboarding with a friend under the sun on Lake Virginia, Rollins has created a ton of creative opportunities to socialize safely during the pandemic. In fact, we recently put together a list of our favorite campus pastimes—from getting into gaming with the newly formed esports team to exploring Winter Park’s myriad waterways in a sailboat, paddleboard, or kayak—and the College will continue to add new recreation and entertainment options throughout the spring.

6. Fraternity and Sorority Recruitment

Short of Fox Day, Lipsync, and commencement, there is perhaps no event at Rollins that inspires as much joyous energy as fraternity and sorority recruitment. There’s little wonder why. For starters, it’s one of the best—and quickest—ways to find your place and your people at Rollins and forge friendships that last a lifetime. Joining a fraternity or sorority can also help you gain valuable leadership experience, build your professional network, and serve your community.

This spring, Rollins’ seven sororities and five fraternities will grow their ranks through their annual formal recruitment process, and everyone is invited to participate. Sorority recruitment runs from January 13–17 and will be fully virtual. Fraternity recruitment, which runs from January 27–31, will be facilitated through a hybrid model of both virtual and physically distanced in-person events.

Register for sorority recruitment
Register for fraternity recruitment

7. Get Snowed In

We’re all familiar with Fox Day and LipSync, but Rollins is also bringing back a slightly more obscure—but no less fun—tradition this spring. During Snowed In, campus will be transformed into a winter wonderland with a slew of chilly festivities. While the details of this year’s event are still being sorted out, previous iterations have included everything from trivia, pop-up casinos, and hypnotists to funnel cakes, smores, and smoothies.

8. In Bloom

Few places in the world can contend with America’s most beautiful campus in springtime, and Rollins continues to create new ways for you to enjoy Winter Park’s warm weather and blue skies—from the new adirondack chairs on Mills Lawn to Lakeside Neighborhood’s forthcoming outdoor deck and waterfront green space.

9. More opportunities to make a difference

Tars took deep dives into everything from food insecurity and sustainability to African American arts and culture during four virtual and in-person Immersion experiences this fall, and the Immersion team is planning to more than double that number of Immersion experiences in the spring. First up: ABC ... 123 ... Educate Me, a one-day, in-person Immersion that will focus on the inequalities within education in Central Florida and beyond. Apply for that experience today, and keep your eyes peeled for more than a half-dozen additional Immersions throughout the semester.

The Center for Leadership & Community Engagement is also planning another series of 5-Minute Differences throughout the semester, so you can support some of the College’s most important community partners and still make it to class on time.

10. Campus dining is better than ever

From mobile ordering and campus delivery to ready-to-cook meal kits and tons of grab-and-go options, Rollins revolutionized campus dining this fall. While all of the biggest changes were implemented before the start of this semester, Rollins Dining Services and new executive chef Mark Kaba are planning to unveil new recipes and weekly specials this spring to add to all of your tried-and-true favorites.