The annual Thank Goodness It’s Spring Festival, or TGIS, was held this past weekend as a campus-wide closer to the school year. This year’s theme was based off the popular book and film series The Hunger Games. According to OSA, the theme had been in the making for a while before coming to fruition this year.
The events of the weekend took inspiration from the series. Thursday’s activities included Tribute Training, a PowerTrain class; and Districts Bingo. Friday offered an Archery class, a showing of the Hunger Games film and the Capitol Gala, where students were eligible to win a costume contest.
Saturday closed out the weekend with a replication of The Arena, where the TGIS picnic was held along with an archery game and obstacle courses. A second showing of the Hunger Games film was also offered. The weekend was brought to an end with the Winner’s Circle, where students had access to food from not only Etown’s Jay Truck but the Mad Dash and Sugar Whipped Bakery trucks as well.
OSA puts in hours of planning and preparing in order to put together a successful TGIS weekend. After choosing a theme, event planners choose events and activities they think students would find the most enjoyable. Once a schedule is decided upon, they find businesses and companies available to provide the necessary services for the activities.
After the events are ready to go, the publicity side of OSA is tasked with spreading the word and making sure students are aware of all the happenings for the weekend.
“I think it’s really cool to just see everyone, like the collaboration between all the other event planners, and seeing what they can come up with together,” said Ashley Dispenziere, an OSA representative. She cited Saturday as the biggest day of the weekend.
“Usually Saturday is a big hit and seeing everyone come together and get to hang out with each other on one of the last weekends.”
First-year Holly Savini greatly praised the weekend.”My first TGIS was very fun, and it was exciting to be able to spend it with most of the school,” she said. “It was important because it brought the whole campus together in celebration of spring and unity and it really gave me a sense of community within Etown.”
Another First-year, Derek Burton, agreed. “I had a really great TGIS experience. I really enjoyed a lot of the events set up by the school,” he said. “I think it’s important because it brings people together. It’s a fun thing to do before finals week and the week before finals, and it really helps students de-stress and prepare for summer.”
Sophomore Stephen Hajcak agreed with the de-stressing ideas.”I had a lot of fun this year,” he said.
“It’s a great de-stresser because while we have events throughout the year, the prolonged three day celebration feels wonderful to de-stress. Also to be able to climb on giant inflatable jungle gyms is a great de-stresser.”
First-year Melissa Kalmbacher gave a Residence Assistant’s perspective on the weekend. “I saw people who don’t usually leave their rooms leave their rooms and have a good time,” she said.
“It was an excuse to get out and have a good time even though it was really cold then. It was something fun.”
Even though the temperature might not have been as warm as it has been during the weekend of fun in the past, Elizabethtown students still showed their Blue Jay spirit for a great celebration of the end of the year.
