To welcome new and old Yellowjackets to campus, Yellowjacket Weekend was packed with fun and informative events.
“I went out to Yellowjacket Weekend because it brings back great memories of all the times I’ve gone before,” junior Jennifer Joseph said. “Also, it’s such a nice way to start the semester off so that we can let loose and have fun before the workload increases.”
The Weekend was organized by the Student Programming Board. It started this past Thursday with Delta Upsilon’s Casino night at Hirst Lounge and a FIFA Tournament at Rocky’s. Proceeds from the Casino night went towards helping impoverished communities while winners of the FIFA tournament won prizes.
Friday’s main event — the Activities Fair — was hard to miss. Live performances happened on the steps to WilCo while the Wilson Quad was packed with students curious to learn more about the various clubs and organizations offered on campus.
“I loved being able to table at the Activities Fair for the past two years,” junior Annika Land said. “It’s a really great experience to get to meet new freshmen and other students.”
Junior Skye Waipa recounted her experience when she was a first-year and compared it to walking through Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, California.
“There are so many cool and interesting things to see but also a heck ton of people heckling you to join their clubs or take a flyer.”
Other events on Friday included a showing of Avengers: Infinity War, a double-overtime win by men’s soccer over RPI, laser tag and mobile gaming on the Quad, and an In Between the Lines improv show in the May Room.
In Starbucks, a trio called At The Latest performed. Additionally, the first annual Deweyfest took place, which informed students on the services and resources that Dewey Hall offers.
Saturday marked the biggest day of Yellowjacket Weekend. Activities included bounce houses and an amusement ride were scattered throughout the quad, as well as food trucks, free “Feel the Sting” class-year shirts, a photo booth, and the Sig Ep Luau Dinner.
“There was a lot of free stuff which is always great,” junior Miruna Radulescu said. “They had this machine that made street sign plates with whatever you wanted on them. They misspelled ‘Miruna’ as ‘Mirvna’ so they had to give me a second one which was funny. The henna, spinning frisbee art, the dye, and bracelet stations were nice […] The big slide was really fun too.”
One critique of the carnival was the lack of the Macarollin’ food truck, as pointed out by senior Connor Newman.
The student music showcase took place at the start of the carnival, featuring students performing soul, acoustic, jazz, and heavy metal. Among the performers was senior Siena Facciolo, who’s been playing piano since she was six and creating songs since the age of 14. She is releasing her first album in a few weeks.
“I love playing at Yellowjacket weekend because it’s a celebration of our community, and to me, music is all about community,” Facciolo said. “Each time I sing a song about my own life, I get pulled back to that moment and am able to sit in that experience along with the audience.”
Saturday night featured the Ella Mai concert, which had a substantial turnout despite a problem with online ticket sales.
“The atmosphere was amazing,” junior Fatimah Arshad said. “She had such an incredible presence on stage despite having a sore throat […] It was my favorite on-campus concert thus far. I even got to chat with her band afterwards.”
Throughout the long weekend, the annual poster sale will be in WilCo, with a juggling workshop in Rettner Hall, and BlackOut in the Hoyt Auditorium, an event where first-years get to learn more about minority organizations on campus.
“I definitely created some Meliora moments,” senior Mahwish Hamayun said. “From getting a class shirt to keep and look back on years from now, to going on rides with friends, and just spending time with people I love.”
Correction (9/23/18): An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated Siena Facciolo was creating songs since the age of 13. She was actually 14.
