Gaudy
Encyclopedia
Gaudy or gaudie is a term used to reflect student life in a number of the ancient universities in the United Kingdom
. It is generally believed to relate to the traditional student song, De Brevitate Vitae
(On the Shortness of Life), which is commonly known as the Gaudeamus by virtue of its first line.
a gaudy is a college
feast. It is often a reunion for its old members (i.e., alumni). The origin of the term may be connected to the traditional student anthem, Gaudeamus.
Gaudies generally involve a celebratory formal dinner, generally in black tie
and academic gowns
(scarlet festal robes for doctors), and may include events such as chapel services, lectures or concerts beforehand. For reunions, the invitees are generally graduate alumni from a number of (usually two or three) consecutive matriculation
years, e.g. 1999-2001. Typically, gaudies are held for each year-group on around a ten-year cycle.
the College feastday is termed a gaudy. It begins with a proclamation of the feast and includes an early rise, college invasions, green breakfast, as well as a host of competitions that see students spread out into the City vying to win various awards. More serious highlights include a service in the Cathedral and musical performances in the Quad. Alumni have a parallel set of events on or around the same day. Previous events that were termed gaudies are now more often called 'mega-formals', which are black-tie and gowned affairs that occur several times a term to mark major feasts and special events.
, formerly Queens College St Andrews, gaudie nights are traditional student celebrations involving the issue of junior students with senior 'academic parents' in order to introduce them to higher education and to provide socialisation. These events are usually held a short time after the institution's Freshers' Week. The Night itself involves the academic parents (typically one male, one female) taking their younger charges out for an evening's entertainment at the parent's expense.
These evenings are followed by a Raisin Night which is used by the junior students to thank the academic parents (usually in a ritualised fashion) for gaudie night. This typical happens at some point in the early winter of the first semester.
Similar traditions remain at Dundee's parent institution, the University of St Andrews
, but are however incorporated into a Raisin Weekend and the term gaudie night is not used for the first night. Many traditions surround this event including Raison receipts in Latin, a foam fight and Raison strings given by the academic mother to be hung on the Bejant/Bejantine's academic gown. St Andrews has a separate ceremony known as the gaudie which involves a gowned torchlight procession and singing of the Gaudeamus in memory of a student, John Honey
who risked his life in 1800 to save survivors of a shipping accident offshore.
, the Gaudie
is the name of the student newspaper
produced under the auspices of the Aberdeen University Students' Association
. It is recognised as the oldest student newspaper in Scotland.
mystery Gaudy Night
, by Dorothy Sayers, is set at such a reunion at a fictional women's college at Oxford.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It is generally believed to relate to the traditional student song, De Brevitate Vitae
De Brevitate Vitae
"De Brevitate Vitae" , more commonly known as "Gaudeamus Igitur" or just "Gaudeamus", is a popular academic commercium song in many European countries, mainly sung or performed at university graduation ceremonies...
(On the Shortness of Life), which is commonly known as the Gaudeamus by virtue of its first line.
University of Oxford
At the University of OxfordUniversity of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
a gaudy is a college
Colleges of the University of Oxford
The University of Oxford comprises 38 Colleges and 6 Permanent Private Halls of religious foundation. Colleges and PPHs are autonomous self-governing corporations within the university, and all teaching staff and students studying for a degree of the university must belong to one of the colleges...
feast. It is often a reunion for its old members (i.e., alumni). The origin of the term may be connected to the traditional student anthem, Gaudeamus.
Gaudies generally involve a celebratory formal dinner, generally in black tie
Black tie
Black tie is a dress code for evening events and social functions. For a man, the main component is a usually black jacket, known as a dinner jacket or tuxedo...
and academic gowns
Academic dress of the University of Oxford
The University of Oxford has a long tradition of academic dress, and a visitor to Oxford during term will see academic dress worn on a regular basis.- When academic dress is worn :...
(scarlet festal robes for doctors), and may include events such as chapel services, lectures or concerts beforehand. For reunions, the invitees are generally graduate alumni from a number of (usually two or three) consecutive matriculation
Matriculation
Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...
years, e.g. 1999-2001. Typically, gaudies are held for each year-group on around a ten-year cycle.
Durham University
At St Chad's CollegeSt Chad's College
St Chad's College is a college of the University of Durham in England. One of the smallest of Durham's colleges in terms of student numbers , it has the largest staff, the most extensive college library facilities, and consistently the highest academic results in Durham...
the College feastday is termed a gaudy. It begins with a proclamation of the feast and includes an early rise, college invasions, green breakfast, as well as a host of competitions that see students spread out into the City vying to win various awards. More serious highlights include a service in the Cathedral and musical performances in the Quad. Alumni have a parallel set of events on or around the same day. Previous events that were termed gaudies are now more often called 'mega-formals', which are black-tie and gowned affairs that occur several times a term to mark major feasts and special events.
Universities of Dundee and St Andrews
At the University of DundeeUniversity of Dundee
The University of Dundee is a university based in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee on eastern coast of the central Lowlands of Scotland and with a small number of institutions elsewhere....
, formerly Queens College St Andrews, gaudie nights are traditional student celebrations involving the issue of junior students with senior 'academic parents' in order to introduce them to higher education and to provide socialisation. These events are usually held a short time after the institution's Freshers' Week. The Night itself involves the academic parents (typically one male, one female) taking their younger charges out for an evening's entertainment at the parent's expense.
These evenings are followed by a Raisin Night which is used by the junior students to thank the academic parents (usually in a ritualised fashion) for gaudie night. This typical happens at some point in the early winter of the first semester.
Similar traditions remain at Dundee's parent institution, the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
, but are however incorporated into a Raisin Weekend and the term gaudie night is not used for the first night. Many traditions surround this event including Raison receipts in Latin, a foam fight and Raison strings given by the academic mother to be hung on the Bejant/Bejantine's academic gown. St Andrews has a separate ceremony known as the gaudie which involves a gowned torchlight procession and singing of the Gaudeamus in memory of a student, John Honey
John Honey
John Honey became famous as a nineteen-year-old student of the University of St Andrews. On January 3, 1800, he was attending a service at St Salvator's Chapel when the congregation received news that a small ship, the Janet of Macduff, had run aground east of the town harbour. Five men were...
who risked his life in 1800 to save survivors of a shipping accident offshore.
University of Aberdeen
At the University of AberdeenUniversity of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
, the Gaudie
Gaudie
Gaudie is an independent student run newspaper at the University of Aberdeen covering campus and local news. It has been in circulation since 1934 and is currently free-of-charge. The Gaudie is funded directly by Aberdeen University Students' Association, whose President holds the position of...
is the name of the student newspaper
Student newspaper
A student newspaper is a newspaper run by students of a university, high school, middle school, or other school. These papers traditionally cover local and, primarily, school or university news....
produced under the auspices of the Aberdeen University Students' Association
Aberdeen University Students' Association
Aberdeen University Students' Association is the students' association of the University of Aberdeen, an ancient university in the city of Aberdeen in north east Scotland...
. It is recognised as the oldest student newspaper in Scotland.
Schools
- At St. Edward's School, Oxford and Radley CollegeRadley CollegeRadley College , founded in 1847, is a British independent school for boys on the edge of the English village of Radley, near to the market town of Abingdon in Oxfordshire, and has become a well-established boarding school...
in OxfordshireOxfordshireOxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, gaudy is the name given to the end of year celebrations; occasionally taking the form of an evening event.
Cultural references
The Lord Peter WimseyLord Peter Wimsey
Lord Peter Death Bredon Wimsey is a bon vivant amateur sleuth in a series of detective novels and short stories by Dorothy L. Sayers, in which he solves mysteries; usually, but not always, murders...
mystery Gaudy Night
Gaudy Night
Gaudy Night is a mystery novel by Dorothy L. Sayers, the tenth in her popular series about aristocratic sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey, and the third featuring crime writer Harriet Vane....
, by Dorothy Sayers, is set at such a reunion at a fictional women's college at Oxford.