Spring is in the air. With spring, comes rain, then flowers and eventually summer. Students are looming around the quad, basking in the springness and eagerly awaiting the end of the semester.
But before students are done, there’s that one last weekend, the weekend of fun, food, and memories.
At Quinnipiac, this is the infamous May Weekend.
Ice cream. Fried dough. Novelties, like henna tattoos, old-fashioned photographs, caricatures, and Frisbee painting. Inflatables line the quad, with the intention of taking the stress away of the up and coming finals week.
The free feeling of jumping on a cushion of air, sliding down a slide or chasing your roommate in laser tag, all while listening to the sounds of local bands and laughing to the jokes of some well-known comedians.
A semiformal, letting the girls and guys get all dolled up to enjoy a night on the town with the college buddies before heading home for the summer.
This is what students have come to look forward to in their May Weekend experience.
And this year will prove to be no less.
Sarah Bell, junior psychology major transfer student, is looking forward to her first May Weekend experience here at Quinnipiac.
“Spring weekend was always such a great time at my old school,” Bell said. “I can’t wait to see what Quinnipiac has in store!”
The Student Programming Board has been working hard to put together a memorable experience for all those that attend.
May Weekend begins on Friday, April 23. The quad opens for students’ enjoyment at 3pm and closes at 7pm. Food trucks, novelties and inflatables will be available throughout this time.
At 5 p.m. Friday afternoon, the band Zox will be performing on the quad stage, located behind Alumni Hall.
In past years, a well-known band or music artist has headlined May Weekend. This year, comedian Dane Cook will take the stage in the gymnasium on Friday evening.
On Saturday, April 24, the quad and its activities, including the food trucks, novelties and inflatables, will be open from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
There is a barbeque at noon on Saturday on the quad. Bands will also be performing throughout the afternoon on the stage in the quad and include some local artists, such as Camera Shy Paparazzi and John Akers.
At 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., Mad Chad and the Chainsaw Juggler will be performing in Alumni Hall.
Also Saturday night, the semiformal will be held. This year’s event is going to be held at Aquaturf and tickets must be obtained in advance.
To be eligible to attend the May Weekend events, students must complete a waiver to participate. Waiver and sticker distribution will be held in the gameroom from Wednesday, April 14, until Thursday, April 22.
The dates and time for sticker distribution are below.
A.J. Atchue, freshman and journalism major is excited about attending his first May Weekend as a student at Quinnipiac.
“From what I have heard, May Weekend sounds like an incredibly fun weekend. There seems to be something to do no matter what type of person you are and so I am really looking forward to it,” Atchue said.
Erin Rosa, junior and Student Programming Board member, stressed the importance of the waiver and sticker.
“Without a completed waiver and sticker present on their Q-card, Student will no be allowed to participate in any of the events,” Rosa said.
For more information, stop by the Student Programming Board office in the Carl Hansen Student Center or stop by the game room during waiver and sticker distribution.
Ed Kovacs, Associate Director of the Student Center and Leadership Development and advisor to May Weekend said that the weekend “is a wonderful opportunity to relax and unwind at the end of the spring semester and before finals.”
He believes the student body needs to recognize the 12 student Student Programming Board executive members who have been working since November to plan all of the events necessary to make May Weekend as enjoyable as has come to be expected.
Kovacs asks students, as advisor to the event, to be safe, responsible and respectful of the activities and the facilities on the weekend.
He reminds the students that they must respect and follow all policies that are in place to ensure a safe and enjoyable weekend.
Kovacs believes that in addition to the students organizing the event, Facilities deserves credit too for “being absolutely wonderful.”
Kerstin Soderlund, Director of the Student Center and Student Leadership Development on campus said that May Weekend is “a wonderful opportunity to celebrate another year at Quinnipiac.”
