Photo courtesy of Ryan Bretag, Flickr
Last Saturday the Student Government Association (SGA) held its annual Oktoberfest. The event, held on the Bandshell lawn, invited students and their families to join SGA and various other campus organizations in pumpkin decorating, eating delicious food and other fun activities. The occasion fell on the same day as Family Day, allowing parents and families of new students to experience one of the many events the College offers.
The event appeared to be a huge success and an enjoyable day out. Families, students, clubs and teams all came together to enjoy the eye catching inflatable slide and wrecking ball, a photo booth, pumpkin decorating and an overall good time.
The day consisted of a raffle with prizes, giant twister and various carnival games. Catered by Ramapo’s neighbors Chicken & Rib Crib, Spring Street Deli, Moe’s, Nikki’s and Sodexo, attendees indulged all day long.
“It’s always great when events have free food, especially food like Moe’s and Chicken and Rib Crib. I think that’s what everyone looks forward to the most,” said Alexis Wager, senior psychology student.
Events like Oktoberfest are mainly targeted toward freshman students who are typically on campus for the first few months of being at school and have not seen their families in a while. Last Saturday, they were able to enjoy food from off-campus locations, see their loved ones and meet new people, as well as take their mind off the new stresses of their college classes.
Alejandro Cepeda, freshman and first time Oktoberfest attendee, said, “It was different yet fun and it was great seeing a lot of people I know there.”
For those who had not known about the event, it was not hard to miss if you were on campus that day. Many students stopped by after seeing the gigantic inflatables and ended up having a blast.
Senior graphic design student Sarah Bate was a passersby that decided to check it out on her way back to her Village apartment. She said, “Oktoberfest was a lot of fun. It’s amazing that the school offers all of these activities free of charge for students and their families.” Sarah’s favorite activity was the photo booth, where props such as signs and water guns were offered to make the pictures unique and comical.
Saturday was the third and final day of SGA’s Oktoberfest activities. On Thursday night the Bradley Center hosted the After Dark Sportsfest which included basketball, volleyball, football and other games for students to play. Friday, the Birch Mansion put on a haunted house for Fall Fest, and in the Laurel Courts SGA provided Late Night dining, games, tie-dying and more festive food. The event’s music was provided by DJ Ode.
ppark1@ramapo.edu
