Orientation week started on Tuesday, Sept. 3, with UNBSJ’s Amazing Race.
The Amazing Race had first-year contestants in small teams, running around the UNBSJ campus to complete unique tasks as quickly as possible. O-Week volunteers were stationed in different areas—from The Baron office to the Commons and even the walking trail near the parking lot.
The frosh were given clues to solve to find the locations of their tasks, helping them discover the UNBSJ campus in a fun and rewarding way. They also had to complete some rather difficult—and often unpleasant—tasks.
Some of the activities involved solving mathematical formulas, memorizing items in the fitness room or lines in a book, eating baby food, reaching into slimy spaghetti for change and completing a puzzle. Bobbing for candy fish seemed to have caught the frosh off guard. Though it doesn’t sound so bad, the freshmen were surprised to discover they were dunking into a tub with a mixture of pop, ketchup and Cheerios. Still, the teams were resilient and nearly every group that entered finished the race.
After completion of the Amazing Race, the teams met in the Whitebone Lounge for prizes and pizza. The first prize was $200 for each member of the winning team, while the runners-up received $100 each.
“The challenges were so much fun and the money prizes are a huge help with books,” said Sidney Cunningham, a first-year student whose team came in second place. All in all it was a fun-filled event for frosh and volunteers alike.
The SRC hosted an incredible race, one that has improved over the years with more activity stations and better prizes. Even after hours of running around campus, the frosh—sticky with pop and sweat—were all smiles at the end of Super Tuesday.