Going on the tour of Flora Rose House this past (rainy) Saturday was quite an experience, especially because I learned so many things about the newest West Campus dorm that I hadn’t previously known. For one, I wasn’t aware that the whole “Secret Society” rumor of Lyon Hall was actually a thing. Professor Blalock informed us (while we were standing in the pouring rain, might I add) that on the very top floor of the Gothic Tower across from McFaddin Hall was the home of the Quill and Dagger Society, a secret club whose actual proceedings no one quite knows. When I’d first heard of the society, I thought it was just a story started to keep students from venturing up to the top floor (which I now know we couldn’t even do if we wanted to), but lo and behold, the society actually exists, and they only recruit students when they’re in their senior year. A goal of mine before I graduate is to, not become a member myself, but just to find out what exactly they do at these super-secret meetings.

The next stop on the tour after that was the War Memorial Room in Lyon, which–as a resident of Lyon Hall–I pass on an almost-daily basis. Inside, was a beautiful mural of angels on the wall, under which was a list of all the Cornellians who had lost their lives in any American war. I thought the concept of the room was absolutely beautiful, and I’m not going to lie, I got a definite sense of patriotism being in there. I wish the room could be open to the public during daytime hours, but it makes sense to keep such an important room locked up from potential vandalism. (Below is a picture I got of the impressive painting.)

Yet another secret part of Rose that I had no knowledge of prior to Saturday was the underground tunnel that ran between Rose and Becker Houses. Used for food delivery trucks to get foodstuffs from Point A to Point B, the tunnels were a very cool thing to see because I hadn’t even been aware that there were any. Additionally, I thought it was especially funny to learn that Professor Blalock’s apartment was right above the tunnel, which he proved to us by yelling his dog’s name up at the ceiling–to which Pepper replied with his adorable bark a few seconds later.

Following the exploration of the underground maze that is the tunnels, the group ventured back up to the ground floor, where we ate sushi and desserts and drank hot apple cider (which was all absolutely delicious). Overall, despite the rain and cold and general gloominess of the day, this adventure full of secrets was definitely one for the books.