Editor’s Note: Marianne Rampertab is a Campus Correspondent for the Daily Campus
In light of Halloween, the University of Connecticut Rainbow Center and its Influencing Readiness, Inspiring Success (IRIS) Program hosted their Spooky Night Social on Friday.
Bailey Gaffney, a third-semester Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs student who is the Rainbow Center’s graduate assistant, said the Spooky Night Social has been hosted in the past.
“We’ve had this event for a few years now, and it’s been a really successful event, especially since our IRIS Program’s collaborations with the Rainbow Center make it open to all students,” Gaffney said.
The Spooky Night Social is a great way for students to celebrate Halloween on campus, and it’s a nice alternative for those who don’t want to go partying, according to Gaffney
Many students attended the event. Some wore costumes to showcase a variety of people and characters, such as a cowgirl, a witch, L from “Death Note” and Lightning McQueen.
Pizza, soda and candy were provided. There were also four activity options: Werewolf, coloring, cookie decorating and a photo booth.
Most people took advantage of the photo booth, where they could take selfies and group photos in front of a “Five Nights at Freddy’s” wall decoration.
Many attendees flocked to the program’s room for Werewolf, a game where players were randomly assigned to be a werewolf, vampire, detective, angel, mayor, saboteur or townsperson. At the beginning of a round, everyone is ordered to close their eyes. When commanded, the werewolf and vampire turn a player into a ghost. Afterwards, everyone opens their eyes and try to guess the werewolf and vampire’s identities.
Many students enjoyed Werewolf. One was Mia Sharp, a fifth-semester American Sign Language student.
“It was quite fun,” Sharp said. “I was familiar with the game because of “Among Us,” which I played during COVID[-19].”
Marianne Rampertab, a seventh-semester English and history student who is an IRIS Program coordinator, said Vergil Hart did an amazing job leading Werewolf.
“He was very cinematic,” Rampertab said of the fifth-semester structural biology and biophysics student’s efforts. “He was overly dramatic, but that’s the point. It’s supposed to be funny and silly.”
Some attendees did cookie decorating, which also took place in the program’s room. Plain sugar cookies and chocolate sugar cookies were available to attendees, who used icing, Sour Patch Kids and sprinkles to adorn them.
About half the attendees did coloring, which was in the main lounge. Markers and Halloween-themed coloring sheets were provided.
In the last half hour of the event, about a dozen people participated in a costume contest, which had five awards: the silliest costume, the scariest costume, the craftiest costume, the most creative costume and the gayest costume. Those who won an award received a Bluetooth speaker with the Rainbow Center’s logo.
A third-semester animal science student who chose to remain anonymous said they enjoyed the Spooky Night Social.
“I think Werewolf was the best part,” they said.
Rampertab said the event was successful.
“A lot of people came to the Rainbow Center, and it was a fun time,” Rampertab said.
Rampertab feels proud of those who helped host the Spooky Night Social.
“Everyone at the Rainbow Center worked to make this happen, and we’re so happy that everyone loved working at this event,” Rampertab said.