Students groove and glide at blacklight roller skating

One of Ramapo’s favorite events, blacklight roller skating, returned this past Saturday. Students were invited to skate the night away in the Auxiliary Gym, courtesy of Ramapo’s College Programming Board (CPB).

The flashing lights and upbeat music created the perfect atmosphere for friends to laugh, fall and glide across the makeshift roller rink. The energy was palpable as attendees got into the groove of skating.

Many students at the event had never experienced roller skating before and were grateful for the opportunity to learn for free. Bins of roller skates of various sizes were available for those who did not have their own to bring with no rental fees required.

“I saw the poster by the Atrium on the top floor and I was excited to see something to do on a Saturday,” said junior Arianna Miklos. “I like blacklight, so it looked like something really cool to do for fun.”

New skaters were not the only ones who were interested in skating. Several experienced skaters also attended to get a chance to practice and show off their moves. Freshman Ducky Nowak said, “[Roller skating] has been one of the only ways I have been comfortable exercising, and it’s been a great way for me to express myself, and it helped me regulate my emotions, and so the fact that there was a school event for that made me so happy.”

The CPB members who planned and executed the event expressed their satisfaction with its continued popularity throughout the years. Junior Jenna Falkenheim, the public relations chair of the CPB, said, “We always have a great turnout. It’s a lot of fun and I just love seeing people happy because this is what we do.” It was very evident there that the students really appreciated all the effort that had gone into planning and executing the event.

Students and members of the CPB that helped make Saturday’s blacklight roller skating event possible are already excited to make it happen again next semester. This event has proven to be a great way to bring students together to practice their skills and connect with their peers.

 

ocole@ramapo.edu

Photo by Danielle Bongiovanni