Diverse events welcome Marlins back to campus.
Photo: Kami Whisenhunt | Marlin Chronicle
Students were welcomed back the week of Aug. 25 with a lineup of events across campus. The Harbor Grill held a Learning Mindfulness and Game-a-palooza, while Grillin’ with the Greeks and Paint Dodgeball were in outdoor areas. Other organizations held the Glow Party, Splash Contest and Welcome Back Ice Cream Social.
The counseling center held Learning Mindfulness Using the Five Senses : an interactive table. Students, like freshman Hannah Williams, stopped by to learn evidence-based mindfulness practices as well as pick up free sensory items.
“To me, mindfulness is being present with your emotions and knowing what you’re feeling. I used the pressure point ring because it gave me something to fidget with, and it’s supposed to ground you,” Williams said.
One of the practices was a glitter-filled jar, which students could shake and watch as the glitter slowly settled back down. On the other side of the table, there were touch-based sensory items like playdough, soft stuffed animals and pink and blue kinetic sand. Take-homes included essential oils for smell, face masks for a cool touch and sour candy. Michelle DeRosa, head of counseling, and Brett Dudley, a postgraduate counseling intern, helped students explore. They also shared general information about on-campus counseling resources.
“This is a way we can gather coping skills, and then we don’t wait until we’re in a crisis to go to a mental health professional,” Williams said.
Michelle De Rosa and Brett Dudley help students explore ways to practice mindfulness.
Photo: Kami Whisenhunt | Marlin Chronicle
Some events leaned into the students’ competitive side, like Game-a-palooza, put on by Off the Hook, where senior Jessica Carson was helping out.
“I’ve always grown up playing Uno. It’s not only a good family event but it can also be a friendly bonding event, and it’s definitely competitive, so it’s like a mixture of both,” Carson said.
A variety of card games and board games lined the tables. These included What do you Meme, Taboo, Apples to Apples and Monopoly. Mario Kart and other video games were set up and projected onto a large screen so students could easily view the action. There was also a snack and drink table off to the side, including a miniature claw machine game with candy inside.
“I think these gaming events can be very beneficial because students can come out, meet new people, meet new friends and then also maybe get a little bit involved with new things that they haven’t experienced yet,” Carson said.
Paint Dodgeball took place on the field outside of Greer, giving students the chance to be active while putting a twist on the traditional game. The dodgeballs were covered in washable paint, so each throw left color on participants’ clothes, but goggles were provided for safety.
Paint dodgeball leaves students marked with color.
Photo: Madison Moore | Marlin Chronicle
A less fast-paced event held in the Cove was Grillin’ with the Greeks. According to Tri Sigma member and junior Ollie Long, this cookout-style event is where the campus can get to know Greek life. She said they strive to host this at least once a year or once a semester.
“It’s not all the stereotypes you see online, and it’s genuinely just a really great way to make friends and be more social and get out there with people,” Long said.
Each fraternity and sorority had members there to represent and speak to students walking past while they enjoyed hamburgers, chips and other foods.
The Glow Party was a silent disco in the CMAC. Students wore headphones, using a button on the side to flip through music channels while on the dance floor. The first 100 students at the event received a free t-shirt, and everyone could grab snacks provided throughout the night. Elsewhere on campus, Campus Ministries and the Athenaeum hosted the welcome-back ice cream social for students to build their own ice cream sundae, catch up with friends or connect with new ones. It also gave them time to check out the new Athenaeum area and learn about Campus Ministries.
The pool deck had a collaboration event with Off the Hook and UREC for the annual splash contest. Anyone could sign up as they walked in and compete for the biggest splash. Friends and peers came out to support and cheer them on as three judges rated each splash on a scale of one to 10. After the first round of normal jumps, they were encouraged to use creativity in their jumps with no flipping or flops allowed, and prizes were awarded to the top three winners, with the first-place prize being a $50 Amazon gift card.
