The mulch is back!

Over my years at Tufts I’ve become attuned to a variety of weird harbingers of seasonal change and annual milestones. Others might celebrate the return of swallows or slugs, but on this end it’s the unveiling of tennis courts or what in my estimation is the most unambiguous signal flare of them all: fresh mulch. Recently it’s been increasingly difficult to navigate campus without encountering a newly-tilled bed or a loamy mound awaiting deployment. Several times this week I’ve found myself thinking “that is one big pile of mulch.” Check out that sidewalk edging! So sharp you could slice a tomato on it, though you probably wouldn’t want to.

The mulch is the herald of commencement activities, the Silver Surfer to commencement’s Galactus. Commencement is always a pretty big deal around these parts, but this year it’s particularly festive as it will include in-person celebrations for three graduating classes, inclusive of those forced into virtual ceremonies the past couple of years due to, well, you know why. You can check out some of the details of the weekend here. There’s a lot of well-earned anticipation about this year’s commencement. If ever there were an occasion worthy of an extra mulching, this is surely it.