Students took to USC's Davis Field on Tuesday night for Carolina Productions' first "Foam-a-Palooza."
The event featured a giant foam pit and a live DJ, and within an hour of starting, Carolina Productions had brought in way more students than expected and almost ran out of waiver forms.
Alia Pease, a third-year psychology student and daytime events coordinator for CP, helped develop the idea for "Foam-a-Palooza." Planning began last semester around September, and the event was contracted out around December.
"It's just to provide a break between studying, going to class, going back to wherever you reside," Pease said. "It's just an event that breaks up the monotony of classes."
The organization's president, Raegan Brizek, said she tries to plan diverse events that are likely to attract students. The second-year broadcast journalism student said it's usually harder to get students to attend an event during the week, but "Foam-a-Palooza" exceeded her expectations.
"It's always really exciting for me to see students come out and participate in our events," Brizek said.
Students danced in the foam, which was released from a foam sprayer periodically throughout the event. Many students brought their friends, but others jumped in the pit with strangers and made new friends.
"I definitely liked dancing with random people, and it was just honestly a really good time," said first-year marketing student Dante Blundo.
Word-of-mouth spread news of the Tuesday night party quickly, students said — many attendees said they heard about the it through friends and fellow students. Some students also heard about the event through Carolina Productions' Instagram, and others simply heard the music on Davis Field and decided to check out the party.
Brizek, Pease and other Carolina Production staff try to plan events that will be stress relievers for students facing the workload of classes and exams.
"We do this to meet student needs," Brizek said. "Hopefully everyone is having a great time and having a new memory to make for their student life with their friends."