KAREN BISGES
STAFF WRITER
A month and a half into the new school year, Marian and Trinity Halls as well as St. Francis and St. Thomas More Halls respectively threw joint parties in celebration of the fall season.
On Friday, Oct. 23, St. Francis and St. Thomas More had their Fall Bash party, which included games and speed dating.
A line of chairs stretched across the sidewalk above St. Francis Hall for speed dating, with each round lasting a minute.
“It was more like speed friending. … It’s like a fun get-to-know-you game,” said Mary Clare McLaughlin, the residence coordinator for St. Thomas More Hall.
Along with speed dating, there was a pumpkin carving contest, followed by pumpkin smashing.
“The idea of the pumpkin carving was to get people talking after speed dating,” said McLaughlin.
Another fall party took place the next day, Oct. 24, in Trinity Hall. In the past, Marian and Trinity Halls have put on a pig roast, but this year they took on a new look and a new name, Oktoberfest.
“We had a lot of events planned … but it rained, so we had to cancel them, unfortunately,” said Leo Bond, residence director of Trinity Hall.
Inside the lobby of Trinity, dinner was provided to all the residents of Marian and Trinity Halls, and afterwards there was a swing dance program with Christmas music playing in the background.
“I think there’s something symbolic in sharing a meal together. … There is a big emphasis on building up the sisterly and brotherly bond that is neglected elsewhere but we also want that interaction between halls as well,” said Bond. “It opens up a lot of new relationships that, who knows, that’s how you meet a lot of new people.”
Heather Esker, residence director of St. Thomas More Hall, said, “The objective is let’s get more people to get to know more people, in a real casual way.”