The Journal

Issue date: 10/5/06 Section: LifeStyle

Media Credit: Lanz Christian Banes Resident Assistant Allison Brewer of the 4th floor of East Hall answers a question Sept. 20 in the West Hall Multi-Purpose Room for pop culture Trivia Night. Grape Nuts, consisting of WVA Building 2, 3 South and 1 South, won with 90 points. The Grape Nuts rounded out the Spectacular in second place with 380 points. Count Chocula, which consisted of WVA Buildings 3 and 6, 1 East, 2 South and 2 North, came in first with 405 points.

Media Credit: Lanz Christian Banes Junior Amy Farfan, resident assistant for 4 North, is dressed in various pieces of refuse Sept. 28 in West Hall by team Krusty Os for Trash Your RA. Farfan, who assumed the form of a fertility goddess, came in second place in the fashion show that followed the dressing. Overall, however, Krusty Os, which consisted of WVA Building 5, 3 East and 4 North, came in third with 55 points. Count Chocula came in first with 95 points.

Media Credit: Lanz Christian Banes Sophomore Bryant Gilmore squeezes a heart-shaped ball to help his blood flow for the Sept. 27 blood drive in the UC Sunnen Lounge. Open to students, faculty and staff, teams participating in the blood drive did not receive points in the competition. The blood drive was administered by the Missouri chapter of the American Red Cross.

Media Credit: Lanz Christian Banes Resident assistant Quinn Gardner is given a hat by team Cap'n Crunch Sept. 28 for Trash Your RA. Cap'n Crunch, which consisted of WVA Building 4, 4 East and 3 North, tied with Lucky Charms (WVA Building 1, 2 East and 4 South) for last place in this particular event at 15 points. Overall, Cap'n Crunch placed third in September Spectacular with 155 points. The end of September Spectacular was celebrated by a barbecue Sept. 29 in the WVA Clubhouse.

RAs with cereal boxes taped on their heads, students playing capture the flag in the middle of the night and trivia nights in West Hall - September Spectacular has arrived.

Every September, Residential Life hosts a number of events to bring students together outside the classroom. Dan Miller, a senior management major, is a resident assistant in Building 3 of the Webster Village Apartments. Miller said the September Spectacular has been going on for at least five years. This year's event took place Sept. 19 through Sept. 29. The September Spectacular is the first event of the year that Residential Life has sponsored.

There was a blood drive Sept. 27 in the University Center and poet/activist Andrea Gibson performed later that evening. Students also participated in events more on the lighter side.

"Trash Your RA" took place Sept. 28 at the West Hall Circle Drive. Residents got the chance to dress their RAs up in old cereal boxes, newspapers and anything else found in the recycle bins. There also was kickball, capture the flag, a trivia night and game night. The final event was a barbecue Sept. 29 at the WVA pool.

This year, events were open to all residents - a change from the freshmen-only years before. The residents were divided into teams based on where they lived. The teams competed in all of the events except the blood drive.

Jennifer Mullikin, RA of Building 1 of the WVA, was chief organizer of the September Spectacular. Mullikin, a junior film studies and early childhood education major, said freshmen participate every year, and now that the new dorms are so close to the WVA, it just made sense.

"Why should the WVA not be involved?" Mullikin said.

She said WVA residents showed interest. The capture the flag game was held in the WVA parking lot, Mullikin said.

"WVA residents came out and watched," Mullikin said. "Of course, they had the option to join in, but they were having a good time,"

However, Building 1 resident Craig Hurst, a sophomore English major, said the game was a little annoying. Hurst said the noise was disruptive when he was trying to do homework. "It was really obnoxious," Hurst said. "I just hear all these kids yelling."

Bryan Childress, junior broadcast journalism major, lives in Building 6 of the WVA. He said he loved participating in trivia night and capture the flag.

"There were a lot more events than last year," Childress said. "I just wish the water balloon fight hadn't been cancelled."

The only event cancelled due to the weather was the water balloon fight in the Quad because it was too cold. Mullikin cancelled the event after consulting other RAs. She said she was disappointed because it was the first event scheduled to kick off the September Spectacular. The water balloon fight also is one of the most recognizable events because it is held every year, Mullikin said.

"We didn't want to get off to a bad start," Mullikin said.

However, a little cold didn't stop the competition from heating up between two teams. Teams Count Chocula and Grape Nuts both competed fiercely in the capture the flag
game, Mullikin said. She said the fact each team included two freshmen buildings added to the heat.

Childress was a member of Count Chocula and said the teams had intense competitions.

"Grape Nuts wanted to be like us," Childress said.

Mullikin said a fair amount of upperclassmen participated in the September Spectacular. She said she thinks the turnout was high because each team generally consisted of one freshmen dorm, one upperclassmen dorm and one apartment floor.

Count Chocula was the team that won the overall September Spectacular. Count Chocula consisted of Building 3 and 6 of the WVA; and 1 East, 2 South and 2 North of the West and East Halls. Points were distributed to teams based on attendance and who won the event. Team attendance for an event was totaled and the first, second and third place teams were awarded 50, 40 and 30 points, respectively.

The new activity fee SGA approved did not play a part in planning the September Spectacular, Miller said. The new fee goes to Campus Activities and the Multicultural Center and International Student Affairs. He said Residential Life has an internal activity fee that helps pay for the September Spectacular.

Mullikin also said Residential Life is discussing making it mandatory for RAs to help plan the September Spectacular next year. Also, Residential Life is considering hosting another Spectacular in the spring.

"We are trying to create more community and more togetherness," Mullikin said.

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