In the midst of an abnormally sweltering start to the month of October, NIU’s academic advisors invited students to enjoy the remaining Homecoming festivities with flames and sweet treats.
Organized by Student Involvement, the Huskie S’mores event ran from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday in MLK Commons and featured a variety of activities that drew in members of the NIU community of all ages.
The event saw the inclusion of a variety of activities including roasting marshmallows over five fire pits, sipping hot cocoa, karaoke, glow-in-the-dark put put golf and the “strike a light” reaction game, a two-player game similar to wack-a-mole where both players try to hit more buttons than their opponent.
As the night wore on, more members of the NIU community, not just students, joined in to participate in the festivities. Families with little huskies of their own participated in the events.
Linda Srygler, a research compliance and laboratory safety specialist, hoped S’mores N’more helped new students interact with members of their community and feel supported.
“We hope they leave with a sense of belonging,” Srygler said. “We hope they know from this that the faculty appreciate them and will be there for them when they need it.”
The sounds of the fire crackling and the scent of burning firewood and overcooked marshmallows constantly wafted throughout the plaza as the campus bell tolled to mark 8 p.m. and people gathered around the fire pits to gaze into the dancing flames.
Rachel Gordon, associate vice president for global affairs and faculty development, was happy to see the student turnout and hoped visitors felt welcomed.
“I hope they leave feeling connected to us,” Gordon said. “This event is one to celebrate Homecoming Week and we want the community to feel as if they are part of it.”
True to its name, the S’mores N’more event offered three main snack and refreshment stands. One of them included a hot chocolate stand where visitors could add their own toppings and additions, enough to give them a toothache just by looking at it.
The event also included a walking taco stand where visitors could grab their preferred ingredients of sizzling taco meat, hearty lettuce and sour cream.
Alantae Henderson, a senior chemistry major, thought the event felt a little lackluster, but he still enjoyed it nonetheless.
“I thought it was fun,” Henderson said. “It seems pretty plain but I still had fun anyway.”
The final Homecoming event to close out the festivities will be the home football game between the NIU Huskies and the Miami Redhawks.
