If USFSP’s 2016 Week of Welcome is any indication of how the 2016-2017 school year is going to be, then we’re all in for a crazy fun ride!
With attendance records for WOW events being at an all time high, this could quite possibly be one of the (if not, most) successful Week Of Welcomes USFSP has ever had. Here is a recap of some of the major events that happened during WOW 2016:
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Friday, August 19th – Opening Day
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Saturday, August 20th -The ThinkFast Game Show
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Sunday, August 21st – Back to School Bingo & Res Life Ice Cream Social
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Monday, August 22nd – SG Island Party
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Tuesday, August 23rd -HAB Casino Night
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Wednesday, August 24th – OMA’s Multicultural Mixer
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Thursday, August 25th – WOW Comedy Night with Adam Grabowski
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Friday, August 26th – HAB Dive-In Movie: Neighbors 2
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Jared Bolton, the Vice President of Harborside Activities Board, worked quite a few of these events. One in particular being the Back to School Bingo & Res Life Ice Cream Social where he was the host of the event. “It was a lot of fun,” said Bolton, “I love to see well-attended events . . .it means that more students are getting out of their rooms/driving to campus and spending time meeting each other, making friends, and connecting to their new home, USFSP.”
When asked what his favorite part of the event was, Bolton replied, “…when three guys won at the same time.” The part he is referring to is when three guys won bingo at the same time and had to have a dance battle in front of everyone and then the winner was chosen by who the audience screamed the loudest for. “It was great that everyone was a good sport about it, whether or not they knew the Petey Shuffle!”
Ban Hamadeh, a sophomore Education major, says her favorite events were the Comedy Night with Adam Grabowski and HAB’s Dive-In Movie. “It was really funny when he (Adam Grabowski) kept calling on my friend Gianni to be in his jokes. It put him on the spot and that was funny. I was shocked how he came into Disney country and insulted the Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Aladdin.. I can’t.”
Shayla Fajardo, a Sophomore Biology major, was on the WOW 2016 team as a programmer, who was specifically in charge of helping plan for Opening Day and the Dive-In Movie. While Shayla worked most of the events, she did attend the SG Island Party to participate. “There was a huge line of people waiting to get in . . . The food and music were great. This event did such a great job in bringing everyone together to have a great time with old and new friends.” As for her overall experience with WOW 2016, Fajardo said it was an incredible experience and she’s very pleased with how all the events turned out. She states, “It’s an experience I will never forget.”
Megan Hammer, a sophomore Global Business major, went to HAB’s Casino Night and was very impressed with the event. “It was very well put together. The atmosphere was very vibrant. It had a good party feel to it. There was a guy who came out and did a dance to Toxic by Britney Spears and it was my highlight of the night for sure. It makes me look forward to what HAB has in store for us.”
Here are some of the pictures from WOW 2016:
*Photos courtesy of USF St. Petersburg Week of Welcome’s Facebook Page and Harborside Activites Board
HCXOXO,
Kelli Carmack