by Bridget Ruffing, ’22
If one were to look out across the campus lawn on a recent September Saturday afternoon, he would observe a sea of brightly-colored hats and fascinators, bobbing up and down beneath a clear blue sky. These chapeaus were part of equally colorful ensembles, in styles that ranged from elegant to outright eccentric. Such was the scene of the Ninth Annual Thomas More College Tea and Shoot, and the student body had turned out with a voracious appetite for tea, mouth-watering treats, and fierce competition. 
Spectators sipped sparkling cocktails and hot tea from vintage china cups while munching on cucumber sandwiches, British tea scones with clotted cream, orange zest shortbread topped with a rich chocolate ganache and lavender shortbread bedecked by vanilla glaze. These scrumptious delicacies were prepared by a small team of dedicated students who generously offered their time and expertise to provide a truly delightful experience for all in attendance.
The baking process was an involved one: Mary Harty and Casey Jackson, both class of ’23, spent upwards of four hours preparing and arranging their beautiful platters of shortbread, while Owen Zaleski, ’21, devoted four hours to “mixing and baking” his light, flakey scones. It took him another 24 hours to make the clotted cream, but that was “just cooking away in a slow cooker,” he notes. The fruits of these students’ labors were received with all the hearty praise and adulation they deserved, and disappeared from the table nearly as soon as they were set out.
After attendees had secured their sustenance and drink of choice, they gathered in front of the library, where the competitors were restlessly stretching their limbs and practicing their aim in preparation for the main event. One man and one woman were selected by each class to represent them in the shooting tournament, and every one of them was eager to make their classmates proud by winning the first-place crown. Some came with an impressive amount of previous archery experience, while others were rather unfamiliar with the bow, but all gave their best efforts to the task at hand.
The competition took place in two rounds, beginning with the Oxfordshire Shoot, a classic aim-based competition where each contestant has three shots to get as close to the bullseye as possible. Silence fell over an enthralled crowd as the archers tried their hands, sending arrow after arrow sinking deep into the hay bale target with a satisfying thump. Senior Patrick Kuplack, ’21, and Sophomore Jon Wright, ’23, were at the ready after each turn, moving quickly to inspect with keen eye where each shaft had hit, and adding up the points. Once the final shots had been fired, Mr. Kuplack gathered the crowd and announced a ten-minute intermission, giving everyone a chance to refill their teacups and polish off the snacks before the deciding round took place.
Once all had refreshed themselves, they reconvened to witness the Abbotsford Long-Range Shoot, in which competitors are given the chance to shoot 
with all their strength and see who could send their arrows flying the farthest. Between contestants, a small brigade of zealous scouts, composed largely of sophomore and freshmen gentlemen, took up the task of sprinting across the campus to retrieve the shafts. Everyone shot with valiant effort and skill, but after Jon and Patrick had tallied the final scores, only one class could take home the prize. The crowd waited anxiously while, with all the appropriate pomp and gusto, Mr. Kuplack announced that this year, sophomore representatives Adam Swift and Rose Dussault had taken first place. Amid an eruption of exuberant applause, the winners stepped forward and the crowns were bestowed on them: a jaunty felt hat complete with an ostentatious yellow feather for Mr. Swift, and a vibrant flower wreath for Miss Dussault.
Even after the excitement of the competition had ebbed, students still lingered on the lawn, soaking in the sunshine and each other’s company, laughing and carrying on light-hearted conversation that matched the effervescent, refreshing atmosphere. The day was declared a resounding success, and it will go down in collegiate memory as a testament to the unique yet vital social culture of Thomas More College. An afternoon sporting outlandish hats and eating sugar-filled treats seemed just what the students and professors needed to break out of the routine of classes and homework. In the midst of hard intellectual labor, one should consider the equal importance of leisure and rejoicing in life’s myriad blessings. Truly, what better way to celebrate than with scones, finery, and a bit of archery?
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