By Jason Hasnat, Broadside Correspondent
In the midst of final presentations and exams, George Mason University will be holding its Spring Finals Madness event from 10 p.m. to midnight on Tuesday in Dewberry Hall.
There will be plenty of free food, games, giveaways and live performances for students to enjoy before they settle in for the long haul of studying for their exams. Exams this year begin on Saturday, May 8 and end on Wednesday, May 12 due to the almost week-long class cancellations from “Snowpocalypse.”
“It’s a good way to release stress,” said sophomore communication major Diana Pham. “It’s perfect timing for finals week.”
The event, hosted by Student Centers in conjunction with Mason Dining and Alphi Phi Alpha’s Iota Alpha chapter, was created to give students an opportunity to have fun and blow off some steam before finals really kick off next week.
One of the major draws of the event is the free swag, which many students are looking forward to getting.
According to Mecca Marsh, associate director of Training and Programs for Student Centers, there will also be scantrons and blue books available for students to take.
Spring Finals Madness is a continuation of Fall Finals Madness, which took place last semester. It was the first time an event like this had taken place, but it was a huge hit; over 500 students showed up at the Johnson Center Bistro, packing themselves into the small corner restaurant.
One aspect of last semester’s event, which was popular with the students, was the performances put on by the performing arts majors.
“George Mason’s very own performing arts majors put on singing and dance performances for their fellow students and friends, giving their friends an opportunity to watch and support them,” Marsh said.
Based on the immense success of last year’s event, Student Centers decided to set up another, but with some extras that students will enjoy.
One of the major changes that Student Centers is implementing for Spring Finals Madness does not involve the food, giveaways or performances but rather the venue. This semester’s event will be moved from the Bistro to Dewberry Hall, and it will run an hour longer than last semester’s event.
“We got a lot of requests from the students to extend the time length and increase the space,” said Marsh. “This time, there will be more room for the students, and folks will be able to dance.”
It is hard for students to turn down such an exciting event that offers food, fun and dancing through the evening, especially at a time when their courses demand so much from them. “I think we all need a little break from studying,” said freshman IT major Chris Lester. “It’d be nice to get away from [the stress] for a bit.”
Other students, however, felt that their time would be better spent studying. “People would want to come, but they’ve probably locked themselves inside studying,” said senior communication major Courtney Bailey.
Whether you need a break from typing all those papers or you just want to grab a bite while you bust a move, take some time off to check out Spring Finals Madness. Chances are you deserve it.
Comments