SAB Teams Up With Alpha Sigma Tau to Host a Winter Wonderland in Lot Six
Though it did indeed snow late on the evening of Saturday, February 2, a winter wonderland was brought to campus in another sense during the day with the Snow Day event hosted by the University’s Student Activities Board and co-sponsored by Alpha Sigma Tau. Due to inspiration from wanting to enhance the feel of snow in a snowless environment, Snow Day was created.
Held in lot six, more commonly known as the Cedar parking lot on the residential side of campus, Snow Day consisted of a giant blow up snow globe in which students could stand in to get their photo taken, a fun slide, outdoor heaters, and hot chocolate.
The event was originally supposed to begin at 12:00 pm, but was postponed a half-hour due to cars that were parked in the parking lot.
Megan McGowan, Assistant Director of Student Activities, explained that gates were supposed to block off the entrance to the Cedar lot but they were not put up at the correct time. As a result, cars that were parked in the parking lot were blocking where the fun slide and snow globe were to be placed, thus delaying the set up of the event.
Students whose cars were parked in the lot were contacted by the University Police Department and were asked to move their vehicles. Once the vehicles were moved, set up was able to begin and the event was up and running by 12:30 pm.
Though the event was postponed by a half-hour, sophomore Lena Suarez, a member of both SAB and AST, and Sami Kofsky, a junior who is also member of SAB, agreed that the half-hour delaying of the event did not affect its attendance. In fact, McGowan stated that Snow Day was intended to be a stop-by event, not an event in which a large crowd was expected all at once.
In attendance was freshman Meg Mattaliano, who claimed she was initially attracted to the event because it was free.
According to Suarez, SAB’s events are free so that students can have fun things to do without it being costly.
Mattaliano also shared that aside from the fact that the event was free, taking a picture in the giant snow globe was what made the event appealing.
Jakie chubert a freshman, said, “I really liked the snow globe idea and its originality.”
This snow globe was about 15 feet tall and was comprised of fake snow flurries and a wintry backdrop. The fake snow flurries enhanced the winter theme and added to the snow globe effect. Inside the snow globe, a photographer was available to take students’ pictures, which were then printed out shortly after the photo was taken and given to the students on the spot.
Most students also chose to have a peer take their photo from the outside of the snow globe in addition to having their photo taken inside, this way the vastness of the snow globe could be captured.
The fun slide, Suarez said, “Was a good imitation of snow tubing to mimic the popular winter activity.” Hot chocolate and outdoor heaters were provided so that students could keep warm on such a chilly February day.
Both Suarez and Kofsky were generally pleased with the turn out of the event and agreed that there were minor details that could have made the event more of a success.
“The event was originally supposed to be held in the residential quad but was moved to Cedar parking lot because the fun slide exceeded the weight limit that the University permits on the quad,” Suarez said. “If people saw this event in the quad, there definitely would have been more of a crowd, students coming in and out of the residential building would be more likely to stop by if the event was hosted in a more prominent and convenient location.”
Suarez also considers that music may have attracted more students and may have also reminded them that the event was occurring.
SAB’s next event will be Saturday, February 9 to see Spiderman on Broadway.
