Event offers fun Fridays devoid of booze
Carolina After Dark’s first event Friday night accumulated a long line of students stretching all the way from the Russell House Theater to the stairs adjacent to the Grand Marketplace.
The organization, which whips up a smorgasbord of fun activities throughout the semester, had already amassed quite a crowd before the event officially kicked off at 10 p.m.
“It’s been busy here,” said Michael Coutts, a third-year exercise science student. “We got here at 9:45, and it’s been pretty crowded.”
Although Carolina After Dark was not as congested as the Welcome Week event Bustle at the Russell was, its Graduate Program Assistant Michelle Ganio said it was a great turnout for the first one of the semester.
“The word is getting out, so hopefully this trend will continue throughout the semester,” Ganio said.
Ganio added that these kinds of programs help students see that there are other ways to have fun rather than engaging in “risky behaviors.” Risky behaviors include alcohol use, which contributed to the halt in fraternity recruitment last week.
“They can hang out at the Russell House on a Friday night and say, ‘Hey, let’s make a flip-book picture!’” Ganio said.
That’s exactly what first-year business student Gabrielle Leach did with her friends Friday night.
“I was a little nervous,” she said, giggling while flipping through her pictures.
Leach said that going to events like Carolina After Dark is a good way to go out, as opposed to partying and getting drunk.
Not only could students take funny pictures, but they could also eat nacho chips and egg rolls, get spray-painted sunglasses or play arcade games.
Activities such as mini-golf, hunting and racing games were scattered throughout the Russell House Ballroom.
Even classic games such as Ms. Pac-Man and a Terminator 2 pinball machine made an appearance.
“I love Terminator,” said Amelia Johnston, a fourth-year biology premedical student. “Back in the day they had themes for everything.”
Not everyone was satisfied with the latest installment of Carolina After Dark. Fourth-year biology student Ashley Wilson said that she has been to better ones.
“I don’t like it because they ran out of food,” she said. “It’s pretty lame. I wish they had music.”
Fourth-year management student Caroline Sanders also said that it was a downgrade from other ones.
“There are usually more crafts going on, versus just standing in line,” she said. “I think this is the smallest Carolina After Dark I’ve seen.”
Ganio said the organization will have an event each month. On Sept. 17, there will be a late-night breakfast after the USC-Navy football game. On Oct. 27, there will be a bowling event off campus.