The Office of Student Engagement hosted a carnival in Red Square on Sept. 17 from 6-9 p.m. organized by the Office of Student Engagement. The event had ice cream and snack trucks like Dippin Dots and funnel cake. It also had many activities like a bull ride, golf right next to Red Square, Campo Dunk Tank, rock climbing, tables set up that had balloon animals and other prizes, video games, and caricature drawings.
For the rides and all these other activities, there were long lines and lots of people. There were some students who were excited both about the activities, rides, and being with their friends. Some of them had either been to a carnival before or never at all.
Some students have said there have been carnivals on campus in the past. Last year, it was very different because of how bad the pandemic was.
“Yes, there has been a carnival before. My friend did one last year, but it sadly rained. It was still a lot of fun. We had games, candy, and popcorn. Last year, the carnival was a lot smaller because it was inside. We had to get rid of a lot of things at the last minute, but we had games, arcade games, candy, popcorn, snacks, stuff like that,” Nick Foley said.
Another student felt enthusiastic to check out this carnival given that they had never been before.
“I have never been to a carnival my entire life. I feel good. This is my first carnival here. Freshman year, we had nothing like this, so I am doing these activities like hanging out with my friends and having a good time. That is what matters,” sophomore Mamut Conteh said.
Most of the students had a favorite ride or activity they liked. Most of them really liked the Bull Ride, Dippin Dots truck, Rock Climbing, and the Campo Dunk Tank.
“My favorite ride is the bull…I feel like I am not dead doing rides or other activities in a carnival,” Ethan Clark said.
Students really liked the Dunk Tank where they got to dunk campo.
“My favorite ride is the Campo Dunk Tank,” and “I feel lit doing rides and other activities,” Tamm Blanchard said.
Junior Elizabeth Hough said she enjoyed the dunk tank and the rock-climbing wall. “I feel like I am a little kid again doing rides there,” Hough said.
Students enjoyed the carnival since they were able to have fun and take a break from responsibilities. “I feel relaxed, free, I feel like I can let go of my responsibilities for a day or night and just have fun,” senior Ibby Morales-Talero said.
The carnival brought back memories for students. Most of the students last went to an event like this one when they were little or a few years before COVID-19 came to the United States.
“I went to a carnival around middle school,” Alex Korman said.
Other students have not been since they were very little. “I last went to a carnival when I was 8 years old,” Emily Paulson said.
“I had a time of my life; I feel like I am a kid at heart when I am always at carnivals,” Lana Bogdanoff said.
