Contrary to popular opinion, the winter crowd at Ithaca College does not go rampaging through the dorms while students are on break. We take the occasional shower, perhaps. Maybe jump on the odd bunk bed from time to time. And of course there's the fizzball league that meets every Tuesday and Thursday in Terrace 2. But other than that, we pretty much keep a low profile over the holiday season.

Suffice to say with campus closed for the better part of the next two weeks, Rattle will be quietly soaking up the holiday romance and good cheer, which may or may not be a euphemism for an eggnog-fueled 3 a.m. escapade of snow golf at the Trumansburg mini putt.

But when we come back, duck.

Next semester promises to be the most exciting four months in the history of Ithaca College, at least for those of you who can put down the Warcrack long enough to get outside from time to time (a good idea in any case if you ever plan to get an actual job). Big stuff will be happening, shows will be spectacular, people of astonishing importance and jaw-dropping influence will be talking at length about stuff you can't possibly comprehend unless you do the bloody reading first. Remember folks, events on campus are only as good as the people who show up to see 'em.

Oh, and there's the small matter of inaugurating our new College president. Perhaps not the strain on the local hostelry that Obamafest promises to be in DC, but a big deal nonetheless. The last time we had one of these parties, "blog" was just a typo.

We're still working out the kinks at Rattle, but our biggest hope has remained unchanged: we want to hear from you about life at Ithaca. If you see a great band, we want to know it before you fall asleep with your ears still ringing. If you shoot a video of some totally off-the-hook performance art piece, we want to scare the hell out of your classmates with it before breakfast tomorrow. In short, whatever shapes your Ithaca experience, we want to know about it. Odds are we're not the only ones.

Enjoy the break. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a date with a Louisville Slugger and a case of Natty Light in Terrace 2.*

*Just kidding. It's actually Milwaukee's Beast.