At first glance, a single dot seems insignificant. Small. Forgettable, even. But when placed amongst others, this same dot transforms into something greater – a mosaic, a reflection of countless voices, personalities and ideas. Each dot adds depth and meaning, all depending on how you look at it, and together, creates a tapestry that mirrors the diversity of Woodstock – not just in ethnicities, but in our identities.

That is the essence of Dot Day. 

For many years, Dot Day at Woodstock has been a burst of color and playfulness. The chance for students to press bright circular stickers onto our faces, to wear polka-dotted sweaters that have been tucked in the back of our cupboards forever, and to fill the Quad with laughter, food, and photographs. Yet, behind the stickers, patterns, colors and celebrations, lies something more profound. 

Dot Day is rooted in Peter H. Reynolds’ picture book – The Dot – a story about courage and the power of making your mark in your own unique way. This dot we see so often becomes a symbol of expression, however small it is. 

Taking the first step, reading a poem, writing a letter, ending a nice phrase- a dot can be the beginning and the end, the start or the finish, and the “stop” sign or the “to be continued.” A dot can signify something minute or infinite, something rational and irrational and something that is nothing but everything. If you really think about it, a dot is like life. How each thing depends on how we look at it. Dots signify our perception, the way we think, look, and feel about the things and situations around us.

And isn’t that, in many ways, what Woodstock is about? How do people of all different types, ethnicities, personalities come together to form something united in its own unique style and culture? How do different traditions, religions, cultures and festivals blend into a continuous thread, a sentence, a word, a meaning, a new world altogether? How we are all, at the end of the day, dots of all shapes, sizes and colors – where each carries a story, identity and a presence that belongs here.

When woven together, these dots sketch the lines that shape us as a community – the teachers, students, advisors, homeroom heads, dining hall bhaiyas, counselling department, friends, roommates and so much more.  There’s beauty in how ununiform we are, how these dots coexist, overlap and create something far larger than a single form – forming Woodstock as it is. 

This year’s celebration of Dot Day reminds us of that very truth. From the identity Photo Booth to DVD Identity Mirrors exploring who you are, to Dot Drawing and Poems and Vibrant Rick and Paper Dot Art- this day wasn’t about circles, it was about stories. It’s about how creativity reflects identity, and how every mark we make ripples outwards, inspiring others to embrace theirs. It showcased perception. It showcased perspective. The Twister and Hula Hoops remind us of how connection, laughter and togetherness make up the dotted landscape of the Woodstock body. 

So, perhaps, Dot Day is more than polka dots, stickers or colours scattered around Woodstock. Perhaps it is our reminder that no dot is ever too small to matter, no situation ever too simple to look at differently, and no identity ever too quiet to belong. Together, our dots form a pattern that is dynamic and deeply human. Because together, these dots, our dots, form Woodstock. 

Edited by Priyanshi Poddar and Trishana Panchagatti, Co-Editors of The Woodstocker.