Little to no money. Beer stocked mini-fridge. Sharing my bed with unfolded laundry. Oh whoa is me, the college student. College (or uni) is a time in your life where you do things you wouldn’t be able to do anywhere else, in a time period of your life that you’ll never forget. There are a lot of things you’ll look back on and miss. But the classes, tests, and sleepless nights aren’t on that list.

While I’m currently using every opportunity to tell my mom I’m going to drop out, there can be some days where you wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Friday, November 14th, was one of those days. A lot of schools try to provide clubs to meet everyone’s likes. A major reason I came to my school was a ski and snowboard club, along with a discount pass and quick trip to the hill. As a nervous freshman, I went to the club’s events and took my proper role as bitch, spending one such event trading a free hot chocolate for a shot of peppermint schnapps from a senior. Although I got shafted into working for 8hours in the freezing cold at the event, I was dedicated. I was a skier. I was a part of the club, and I was up for it.

Fast forward a year later and it was all worth it. In the fall of 2008, my school and my friends re-vamped the club giving it a new title, a new vibe, and a new agenda. Looking out my window right now, you wouldn’t see any snow, but this past Friday, we trucked it in, put on a show, and let the rest of the student body know what it was like to get hyphy.

Jib Fest is an annual event that happens on the fields by our senior housing, showcasing students the talents of our freestyle club, and how a rail, some scaffolding, and some ice rink snow can make for a few hours of fun. Though the club has been around for awhile, the 08/09 event was unforgettable for a number of reasons.

Booking out of a French test at 11:30ish on Friday, I swung by the dining hall to snag some sub-par grub with Coll. After a quick minute of broing out, I hit up the field to find some platforms, a pile of snow, and some unbuilt pieces of scaffolding. 12:30 on Friday and we still had a lot of work to do before we could illuminate the lights at 7pm on Saturday.

Having a group of people trying to meet one goal can work out really well or be a downright horrible experience. With so many ideas and opinions, it seemed impossible for everything to get done. The weather was beautiful and we pushed on, linking sketchy scaffolding and doing snow runs. Time ticked by as club members flowed on and off the field, going to class against their will. Before we knew it, it was 4pm. We all looked at each other, pausing to reassess the situation, when someone ignited the idea that would blowup to become the best event ever…let’s host Jib Fest tonight, in 4 hours.

Some shut up in shock, others said it couldn’t be done, but as I looked at a few of my fellow club members, I knew they were dead serious. At that moment, everything stopped. The shovels were dropped and the car engines were silenced as people picked up their phones. “Yo dude, Jibfest tonight, call John.” “Yes, I’m serious.” “Get the guys and come to the field.” Within a half hour, the majority of our club was on the field, ready for instruction.

Four hours later, it was ready. The riders started ascending the 3 tiers of scaffolding as the lips were raked and the crowds were becoming tighter. Over the next couple of hours, I witnessed one of the ballsiest, funnest, most memorable sessions. Forget being a journalism major, those are precisely the right words.

My club really stepped it up that night. They made a great impression on the student body and royally proclaimed what it means to be from the East Coast. 4 hours earlier, there was a measly pile of snow yet because of the hard work of many, it became ridiculous.

Just had to throw this up to keep you updated on me and the happenings on the EC. I really encourage people to not knock it off your school list because it isn’t OUT WEST BRAHH!!!, and it doesn’t have a kajillion feet above sea level. What we lack in vertical we make up for in passion, the lack of snow is made up for in pride, and any die hard skier wouldn’t have it any other way. You gotta play the hand your dealt, and ECers know how to take that hand and walk away with mad bank.

The final product. Photo at left- Danny Miles

Dan and John stoked about getting the shot.

Mattyb mixing it up with the wall ride.

One of our boarders at the top of our in-run.

Colleen repping our girls and hitting the flat rail.

MC extrodinaire and Judge, Christian, bringing a little IF3 love to SMC with a RedBull shoe thanks to our volunteer Jimmy.

Joe staying steezy.

ShredMC Award Winner, Christian.

Evan slaying one of the flat rails.

My girl Caity, pressin’ it out.

Thanks to our own mattyb, and ECHeadwear for sponsoring us!

Chris, David, Caity = MADDD PROPS

Thanks again to all of our epic sponsors! TechNine, BrandNew Clothing, Jay Peak, ECHeadwear, eesa, East Coast Snowboarding Magazine, and the Lab. Plus a big should out to all the ShredMC members, staff, and crowd of the 08/09 JibFest! See you next year!