February can be a difficult month. The holiday season is over, but it’s still freezing out. The semester is in full swing and midterms and deadlines are approaching. Despite this, February has two of my favorite ND traditions, always in the same weekend: the Keenan Revue and Galentine’s Day.
The Revue is an annual sketch comedy show put on by Keenan Hall. The irreverent production pokes fun at current events on campus and around the world, and in classic SNL style, includes live musical numbers. From biting commentary to silly slapstick, the show always leaves my friends and I laughing so hard we cry a little. Amazingly, the production is always free, but this year they decided to put on a twist and have an optional donation to their signature charity, Dismas House. For around 40 years, the men of Keenan have worked with Dismas, an organization that helps men and women who were recently released from incarceration reintegrate into the community. The night we went to see the show, they raised almost $1,000 for the cause! (If anyone is interested in supporting it, you can venmo @Revue4Dismas a donation.)
This weekend also marked my last Galentine’s Day here. For any Parks and Rec fan, you’ll know it’s the day before Valentine’s Day, when ladies celebrate their lady friends. We had a get-together at my friend’s apartment filled with fun, feminism, and various pink baked goods. As my time here winds down, it becomes more and more important to let my friends know how much I love them.
Next week will just be another February weekend where I wear my heaviest coat, work on my thesis, and look forward to the nearest holiday, which at this point is Mardi Gras. But for now, this was a great break from the winter grind.