Maybe this sentiment doesn’t hold true for everyone, but I am pretty darn proud of our mascot. Sure, sometimes a daisy doesn’t seem too threatening, but I think that might actually be part of the appeal — it’s the element of surprise. Our enemies never see us…blooming?
Anyway: I’ve been thinking a lot about flowers lately, so it’s no wonder one of my immediate thoughts was to the Hockadaisy. I’m finishing up the eleventh year of being referred to as such, and I’m sure my senior friends are weirded out by the prospect of rarely being called that anymore.
They probably have other flowers on their minds, too, flowers that I’m only beginning to think about — the flowers in their baskets, the flowers on their hats. It’s pretty unbelievable, how quickly we’re rushing toward the end of May and toward graduation, but we’re a week out from Spring Break and then it’s just under two months until the end.
All this flower talk seems pretty poetic, but to be honest, it was just prompted by the sudden realization today that there are flowers everywhere here. I’ve never witnessed a Washington, D.C. spring, and I’m so glad to be here now. The bravest cherry blossoms are only just starting to appear, and the quiet blush they give every street always brings a smile to my face.
Everyone has been in a great mood for the past couple of days, as a sudden heatwave folded over D.C. and made us search for the few pairs of shorts and t-shirts we packed alongside jeans and thick sweaters. But I don’t think it’s just the weather contributing; I really think it’s the flowers, too. There’s something calming and reassuring about seeing something so iconically Washington everywhere you look.
I miss that, a little, seeing things like plaid or blazers or, hello, daisies, around each corner. In two weeks I will be back in Dallas for the second half of my Spring Break, so it’ll be nice to see all those things again and get a refresher.
A huge component of the flowers’ importance is how they mark the passages of time. For the cherry blossoms’ part, they are a constant reminder that I am almost halfway done with this amazing experience.
On the one hand, it seems like I just arrived yesterday; on the other, it feels like I’ve known these people my whole life. I’ve probably said it before, and I’ll definitely say it again — time seems to flow so weirdly here. Settling back into the Hockaroutine is going to be a little bit of a challenge.
And on the daisies’ — or Daisies’ — part, they mark a passage of time within themselves. Students enter into the Hockaday garden at different stages of growth — maybe they’re only a seed, or maybe they’re almost fully grown and just need a little bit of watering before they’re ready to go.
Coming back to Hockaday for a few days will be different than what I’ve been experiencing lately, for sure, and it might not feel natural immediately. But this is my favorite part of the year — I know, I know, y’all have final exams in a week and I am thinking the best vibes in your direction.
Regardless: the sun is out and it’s spring. The flowers are blooming and the Daisies are blossoming. It’s a great time of year to be a flower, and I personally cannot wait until I am back with my feet on the ground at Hockaday to witness some serious growth in our garden.
That’ll do it for this week, everyone — in Ela we trust. Until next week,
