Puja Thapa
Administrative Executive Editor
Perfect sunny weather, enthusiastic crowds of students, energetic rock music and good food; on April 25, Keene State students got the opportunity to laugh, have fun and let loose before the finals week. The annual end-of-the-year Spring Carnival organized by Keene State Student Government lasted from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. last Thursday.
KSC first-year Grace Quenneville said, “I think it’s a good way for all of us to come together, and have fun. Like we may not know everyone but we all go to Keene and we love Keene, so it’s all good time for us to relax.” The carnival provided three rides: The scrambler, the ferris wheel, and the super slide. KSC sophomore Madison Shimko said, “I think the scrambler and the ferris wheel are popular things.” Quenneville added, “I definitely love the scrambler, that’s my favorite ride.”
Besides the rides, the carnival had different activities like a dunk tank, free T-shirts, and different stalls and games. Director of Campus Life and Interim Advisor of the Student Assembly, Jennifer Ferrell said “the dunk tank was pretty successful, non-stop all day.” The Dining Commons operated their service outside, collaborating with the carnival.
According to Ferrell, the rides for the carnival come from Fanelli Amusements, Inc. “They’ve been here for a number of years, so they are aware of campus and the size of stuff, so that’s nice, there’s a history there.”
According to Student Body President and Senior Sarah Dugas, student government has an events committee which is compiled of various members of student government and through that they plan spring carnival.
Usually KSC students tend to think the Social Activities Council putting on the Spring Carnival. Dugas said, “I think it’s because we use the same ‘for the students’ mentality type of thing, it’s such a similar event to other stuff what SAC does, I feel like it kind of just blends together, but I mean as long as people are happy.”
Ferrell described the turnout of the event saying, “The day was perfect as far as weather goes, there were so many students who came out. [It] was wonderful, and I saw students trying out different foods, and hanging out with friends and waiting in line and riding and having a good time.”
Afterimage, a band consisting of Keene State students played at the carnival. There were crowds of students listening to the music. Shimko said, “Last year there w
as [only] a DJ, but it’s nice to see live music again.”
“I am not particularly sure where the tradition came from, I just know that we’ve been doing it for long time,” said Dugas. “I was so stressed out this whole week and today, but just seeing everyone happy and everything falling into place and working out the way I had expected it to, it feels good and I feel confident that everyone’s happy and everyone is enjoying themselves.”
“It’s great to see the students on the events committee who have been working to put the thing together and make sure it happened, and enjoying it and getting to see sort of the fruits of their labor and people having fun,” said Ferrell. “It’s important for students to realize that all the things that happen, all the different varieties of programs and events and opportunities they are already contributing to, student activity fee goes towards all of these kinds of things and if they are not participating they are not really getting their money’s worth…Everyone might not be interested in everything but everyone should be interested in something.”
Ferrell also said that data shows that students who get connected to things on campus are more likely to be happier, stay in school, have better grades and report that they had a worthwhile experience once they are long out of school. “The student government gave out more T-shirts than they have in the history, there were lines for everything, I think it was a huge success,” she said.
Puja Thapa can be contacted
at pthapa@kscequinox.com
