On Nov. 13, the University of North Georgia’s Oconee campus transformed the Quad into a winter wonderland. Nighthawk Entertainment worked together to bring festive elation before Thanksgiving break and the stress of finals. There were a range of activities and food for attendees to enjoy as they gathered within their community.
As students entered, they registered with their student ID number and got a free UNG Oconee t-shirt and a free large mug. Along with the free merchandise, guests had a chance to enter a walk-in inflatable snow globe. The snow globe was filled with balloons that fluttered through the air, making it a good photo oppurtunity.
“The event was the perfect time to show the festive marking of the winter season starting.” – Asmaa Edrees, UNG freshman studying biology
After registration, attendees were able to choose their favorite animal to stuff by hand. There were a variety of festive plush toys to choose from.
“My favorite part of the event was stuffing the bear” said Asmaa Edrees, a UNG freshman studying biology. “I chose the polar bear because it looked the most festive to me and it looks like the Coca-Cola bear.”
Brooke Owenby, Assistant Director of Student Involvement, said, “I’m excited to see what students think about stuffing their own animal. It’s like Build-A-Bear but winter edition.” Owenby chose the date for this event because he wanted students to have fun at school before the break. “I am also hoping that students can use this as a stress reliever before final exams,” he said.
Guests were also given the opportunity to try their hand at Olympic curling. For this activity, participants needed two teams of four players, and each team tried to gain the most points by getting their stones closer to the center of the house.
Faith Ford, Vice President of Outreach, said, “We got a company to come set up the Olympic curling for us and I’m excited to see how students will play this game at the campus rather than on ice. I’m also just excited to see students having fun on campus and coming out of their shells.”
To keep the merry-making atmosphere, s’mores were provided for the attendees to enjoy and warm up as they mingled. Owenby got flameless mini grills and brought them out to each table along with the ingredients needed to make these treats.
“I love the thought that went into the event and the s’mores were a great add. It’s the perfect food for this kind of weather,” said freshman Dalia Aguilar, another biology student. “Events like this one make school much more enjoyable and it’s a great way to come together and network.”
