Snively '11 | January 25, 2009
"Let's Build a Snowman [CRITICAL UPDATE!]"
UPDATE: After a tip from Pro-snowman league warning us of a possible attack on our epic snowman by the anti-snowman league, we started receiving reports that the snowman's head had indeed been removed and destroyed in a vicious attack. Not to be deterred or beaten down, a recovery mission was dispatched to the snowman to assess the damage and administer any treatments necessary.
Upon arrival at the snowman we deemed the head not fixable. We gave it a ceremonial sending off in the moat and sought a replacement. A traffic cone was deemed suitable.
A message, addressed to the Anti-Snowman League, was attached to the traffic cone. Let it be known, to whomever maliciously assaults snowmen, we will never back down and we will fight for the survival of snowmen everywhere! We will defend!
If I could give them out, I'd give out an instant admit coupon to anybody who immediately recognizes the title reference.
Anyway, I don't know if you've heard, but snow has officially dumped on MIT, creating about a foot of snow all over everywhere (except for the sidewalks, thank you facilities). Students here have shifted their footwear to boots, started doubling their pants and shirts, and we're starting to see winter hats. I, for one, have ordered the awesomest hat ever, it should be here in about a week or two.
We actually ordered 4 of these, expect epic rock band pics to come
Along with the new wardrobes come new and exciting activities for MIT students to take part in. This includes snowmen. BUT!!! We're engineers, we don't just build lame snowmen, we build EPIC snowmen! Well, at least that's what the Facebook album describes it as, "the epic snowman of IAP."
It was originally James 11's idea, but Sauza '11, Wes '10, and I latched on to help.
Step 1: Build giant bottom ball for the snowman. We did it the typical, fundamental way, roll a ball around in the snow until it's really big. The thing is, really big snowballs are REALLY heavy, and at the end of it we were basically dying. We all leaned against the snowball, panting heavily, and then flung ourselves at it again, adding more and more snow. Kevin '11 snapped a picture of this process, this is when we started to realize how big the snowman was actually going to be.
We packed some snow on it, rounded it off, and were left with a perfectly massive snowball.
Step 2: Build the second ball for the snowman. This was easy, just a smaller snowball than the first. The tricky part was step 3.
Step 3: Get the second snowball up onto the first snowball. But. . . how? The second snowball was impossibly heavy. We ended up having to build a large ramp out of two more huge snowballs, eventually heaving the second snowball up the precarious slope. The ramp itself was almost as impressive as the bottom snowball,and probably bigger in size.
Step 4: Attach head. This was easy. Roll a snowball, carry it up the ramp, set it on top.
Step 5: Features! We ran back to the dorm to get some more people and to get stuff for facial features. We grabbed a potato, cut in half, for the eyes, a carrot for the nose, a red bell pepper slice for the mouth, and three Solo cups for the buttons. We used a pirate hat for the hat, two wooden stakes for arms, and two lost gloves for hands (one pink mitten, one black leather glove). Again, the snow ramp was utilized, and the features were stuck nicely on the snowman.
Step 6: Revel in the awesome!
We grabbed a tape measure while we picked up the facial features, and the snowman came in at a staggering 10 feet tall (1 foot taller than Melis's snowman from last year).
Step 7: Destroy evidence of the ramp. Giant snowmen only look amazing if you can't tell how they're made. We took to destroying the snow ramp.
Now for the group shots. Here's one of us expressing our affection for it.
And our "we're hardcore" pose
And our "pretend you're the snowman!" pose
Most of the snowman's features fell off today, I think all he has left are eyes and a Solo cup button. The body of the snowman, however, is probably going to be around until the end of winter (CPW if you're lucky) so we'll all get to enjoy him for quite a while.
So that was my yesterday, building a giant snowman, just another day in the life.
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The author has filed this entry in the "The Month Of January: IAP" section; check it out for further reading on this topic. |
Responses To This Entry:
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First!!!!!!!!!!!!
Heck a big snowman.
Posted by: Anonymous on January 25, 2009 01:50 AM
...that's...one...big...snowman...
OMG! *faints*
Posted by: Anonymous on January 25, 2009 02:10 AM
haha. i saw that snowman today! that was awesome!
Posted by: Anonymous on January 25, 2009 02:21 AM
it's a reference to Cannibal! The Musical.
Posted by: Ester '13 on January 25, 2009 02:37 AM
.... At least I think that's where I remember that from..
Posted by: Ester '13 on January 25, 2009 02:39 AM
Isn't that a song by the delicately named DVDA?
Posted by: Ahmed on January 25, 2009 03:06 AM
Snow!
I only ever came in contact with real snow on sporadic trips to Europe, and I wasn't allowed to touch it then because my parents were afraid I'd get frostbite or something.
We have one mountain with a bit of snow on it in the winter, but it's all brown and icky because everybody here goes to trudge around in it when it's there.
I'd like to have a chance to build a snowman one day though. It looks like a lot of fun!
Posted by: Michelle from Israel on January 25, 2009 05:20 AM
Aw, so cool...
Posted by: Laura Pass on January 25, 2009 06:21 AM
Hey Snively,
That is one badass snowman.
I have an admissions-related question that you may or may not be able to answer, but I thought I'd ask it here anyway just in case.
I've heard that some colleges will track every correspondence that an applicant has had with the school, including emails(!), and consider those alongside the actual application... does this happen at MIT? Do application readers actually read the emails exchanged between the student and the school? It seems odd to me.
Posted by: mailman on January 25, 2009 07:19 AM
Seems like your recent posts have included your pictures more, eh?
Something that the other bloggers should do.
A.S.A.P!
Great post!
Posted by: Ewan Ibrahim on January 25, 2009 07:52 AM
@Ester '13
One instant admit coupon for you . . . except. . . you've already been accepted, so congratulations!
Posted by: Snively on January 25, 2009 09:22 AM
@mailman
MIT does NOT do this, no worries.
Posted by: Snively on January 25, 2009 09:29 AM
Snively,
That snowman is extremely epic.
Posted by: Molly H. on January 25, 2009 10:49 AM
We can name him Bob, or we can name him... Beowulf!
We can make him tall, or we can make him not so tall - snowman!
Hehehe, you just made my day with that blog entry.
Posted by: Mitchler on January 25, 2009 11:25 AM
My friends built a bigger snowman on top of someone and then shot the head off, shortly followed by the body using a paintball gun.
Posted by: Anonymous on January 25, 2009 12:52 PM
Cannibal! The Musical. That's is one crazy sweet snowman! Build a igloo next, that's what we do when were bored in frigid Ohio.
Posted by: Greg Dornback on January 25, 2009 01:05 PM
Awesome snowman! The snow here is actually a pain in the butt, but in Boston, that just might be a whole different issue when you don't have ice and snow on an extremely long and steep driveway that's 45 degree-ish!
Posted by: Sheila on January 25, 2009 01:14 PM
Yay! Snow,,, ahh I remember making snowmen in norway ahh the good ol days!!
Great Post!
Posted by: fouad on January 25, 2009 02:19 PM
That thing was so huge. Well done with the snowman in the end, that made my night. There is so much snow on Kresge Oval, still. Well done, once again Snively and crew. Also, congrats to the '13s so far, and good luck to the prospectives. IHTFP all the way.
Posted by: Kevin '11 on January 25, 2009 06:52 PM
As I was crossing mass ave, i saw the snowman looming. I think you should build one that is TALLER than kresge next time. Now that, that would stir up fear.
Posted by: Vicky ('15?) on January 25, 2009 07:25 PM
That's the biggest snowman I've ever seen. Pretty amazing. I took a picture as soon as I saw it.
Posted by: anon '12 on January 25, 2009 08:35 PM
yes... yes it is epic
Posted by: Judy '12 on January 26, 2009 11:04 AM
What does CPW mean???
Posted by: Anonymous on January 26, 2009 07:10 PM
Happy Reading!
Posted by: Snively on January 26, 2009 07:13 PM
Uh oh
We've been victimized by these terrorists before, and there is reason to believe that your snowman is next.
Posted by: Pro-Snowman League on January 27, 2009 12:51 AM
@Pro-snowman league
Guards will be posted. Thank you for your efforts!
Posted by: Snively on January 27, 2009 12:52 AM
That snowman is big. OMG. I haven't made a snowman for 8 years since I moved to Bangladesh from NY.
Snively, maybe you should look up the world record and a lot of you try to break it.
Posted by: Labib (hopefully '14) on January 27, 2009 10:15 AM
http://giftable.quotaless.com/store.html
You could learn to knit and knit the bearded toque instead (about halfway down the page).
Posted by: Gina '12 on January 27, 2009 03:43 PM
gosh! I never thought that snow was heavy I had the notion that it wud be like cotton.(I wish it would snow here in India)
Posted by: Mishraanwesh on January 29, 2009 10:07 AM
not another snively post!
Posted by: Anonymous on January 30, 2009 01:01 AM
