Nights in the University’s residence halls can be a real party.
Annie Tittiger of the Living Learning Center recently attended a “dance party in one of the guy’s room with a strobe light and fog machine,” she said with a laugh. “It was really fun.”
Wilcox Hall in Bean East even went so far as to use their entire lounge for a dance party. If someone’s itching to dance, chances are there’s a dance party nearby, or it’s very possible to begin one.
A common residence hall hobby is evening indoor sports. It begins with a football or soccer ball casually lying around, reminding its owner of high school days when they ruled the field. Many students feel that sports teams on campus are hard to get on, or are just too competitive. Look no further than the doormat – hallway sports are in.
“Our RA even joins,” said Courtney Miles, an LLC resident.
After these intense matches, the participants also sit down for a relaxed cup of hot cocoa. The only problem is for those not partaking in the game, it can get “kind of scary,” Miles said. “Gotta leave my door shut.”
Movie nights are another frequent endeavor of residents.
There’s a weekly film showing on the Humpy Lumpy Lawn near Hamilton Complex, and showings of “Grey’s Anatomy” in residence hall basements are overflowing past capacity. People are always allowed to organize a movie night, and posters for such occasions are easy to find. For Thursday’s Moore Lounge showing of “Fight Club” signs were posted with memorable quotes like “Is that your blood? Yeah, some of it.”
One recent student-run event was titled “Vaginafest.” Organized by Taylor Dane of LLC South, it was a Wednesday night sleepover that required advance approval from the resident assistant, and featured movies like “Mean Girls” and “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”.
“I thought it would be a good way to get to know all the girls on the floor. It’d be a fun time for just the girls to bond,” Dane said.
The University also sponsors on-campus goings-on. Assistant Director of Residence Life John Hollan highlighted a long list of school-provided activities. In the past there have been casino nights, free pizza nights, and even sushi-rolling classes. Hollan mentioned that this term is particularly busy with events offered by the school. During the Halloween time there will be costume parties, dances, corn-maze excursions, and even a Halloween UNICEF benefit in Bean for local children.
“It’s an opportunity for fun, and also a chance to be involved in service,” Hollan said.
Something that has had outstanding positive feedback is the annual “Duck Idol” event that Hollan said challenges students to demonstrate their karaoke skills.