1,000 Shooting Stars

Thursday night was one of those nights where everyone had quite a bit of homework, but everyone was thinking about something else. Nobody could focus very well, study hours weren’t very productive, and we were all a bit antsy. Wilderness trips start in a few days, the weekend is two days away and tonight is the Lunar Eclipse. As study hours began to wind down, around 9:15, we started going outside in the 20 degree weather. Several people walked in and out of the Wallace Center shouting, “You have to come see the eclipse!” or “Everyone come outside it’s so gorgeous!!” After study hours finished I usually socialize for fifteen minutes with everyone in the Wallace or make a peanut-butter and Jelly sandwich, but tonight no one was in there. I packed up my back-pack, layered up, put on some gloves and walked out side. As I was walking back to the cabin I heard a bunch of people and then noticed everyone lying down in the snow. I walked over and there was about 25 MCSers lying in the snow looking at the lunar eclipse and stars.

I sat down in the snow next to Malcolm and looked up at the beautiful sky. Several other people came and by 9:45 there was at least 30 of us lying outside in the freezing, hard, uncomfortable snow together. It was one of those moments you remember forever. I felt such a strong connection with everyone and we were all outside together looking at the amazing phenomenon above us. We were all talking, but at the same time trying to get a moment of silence to enjoy this moment. It was pretty difficult because Patrick kept interrupting and making everyone laugh and then we would all be laughing and the laughing never really stopped. My favorite part, however, was seeing my first shooting star. We had been out there for while star gazing and starring at the orange moon and every other second someone would yell, “I just saw a shooting star” and I had never seen one so I became frustrated. Finally, I saw a flash of white strike across the handle of the big dipper and disappear in a straight line. The sky was so clear and the stars were so bright. Gabby said she felt like she was inside a dome of stars because the sky looked so perfectly round and glittery. I think she was right.

-Rachel Madding, Hillsborough, CA