A girl hobbled about with baby powder in her hair, welcoming the streaks, or in this case, puffs, of grey hair. A boy sported long johns and dragged a homemade I.V. along behind him. The “elderly” college students were a sight, not to mention the vault of prizes that would be distributed amongst them. This was Bingo Night last year.
This year Bingo Night begins bigger and better than before. A Student Activities Council tradition and campus favorite, Bingo Night debuted in 2006, and this year is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 19, at 9:30 p.m. in the RSC Gym.
The night unfolds with 15 rounds of bingo, a booty of extravagant prizes and many college students dressed rather comically as the elderly. However, this year instead of receiving just one bingo card per game, participants will have triple sheets per game plus the additional seven they can earn by dressing up. One major prize per game will be awarded, and upon multiple lucky bingo winners, a rock-paper-scissors duel will determine the winner.
By presenting their current I.D. card, students can enter the running for this year’s prizes including a flip ultra camcorder, weeks of homemade treats, a 32 GB iPod Touch and a flight on a Diamond Vogel jet as posted on the Student Activities Facebook page. The evening also includes a prize drawing for those who become a fan of the page on Facebook and a short break in which students can take their “pills” for the evening. Students need not worry though; the pills usually consist of Smarties, M&Ms and Skittles.
Whether you win a prize or not, the experience is deemed as one of the best according to director of SAC Lori Couch. “So many people dress-up that it is a really fun atmosphere,” Couch said. She also said the evening is “fun but intense,” and it “appeals to lots of students.”
Couch is not the only one who thinks Bingo Night is highly worthwhile. Sophomore Katie Nieuwsma attended last year and encourages everyone to do the same. “It’s so much fun dressing up crazy with your friends and then seeing everyone else having fun too,” Nieuwsma said. “If you want a good laugh you should definitely come. You might even win some prizes too!”
Senior Stephen Smith agreed, “I’m definitely going again and would urge everyone else to do the same! Bingo night is not only one of the most fun of the campus events with the biggest turnout, but it gives us a taste of what we all have to look forward to!”
