BYUSA spent its Friday night throwing a party for students at the annual Fall Fest semester kickoff. This year’s event included a dance, rock wall, volleyball and performances by Comedy Sportz, among many other things.
Fall Fest is one of BYUSA’s biggest events of the year, said Hayley Aiono, vice president of activities. The event goal is for students to have fun, meet new people and become involved on campus.
“Our events are geared toward making college not just a bunch of classes,” Aiono said. “But an experience.”
This year’s Fall Fest theme was “Believe in the Year.”
“It’s a good way to kick off the new semester,” Aiono said. “Just believe in the year.”
Fall Fest included a wide variety of activities because BYUSA wanted to appeal to as many students as possible, Aiono said.
Nick Larsen, a BYU senior majoring in business management, came to Fall Fest with a friend. He said they were most interested in taking pictures in the photo booth and having a good evening.
“We came because I love doing on-campus activities,” Larsen said. “It’s sort of because I only have one chance in my life to come to BYU activities like this.”
Larsen said he thinks on-campus events are successful because they help students feel more unified.
“It makes the school become a part of us,” he said.
Danielle Orrock, a BYU sophomore majoring in communication disorders, came to Fall Fest with a few friends. She said they came because they like free on-campus activities, and because they looked forward to climbing the rock wall.
The Fall Fest committee worked hard to plan and prepare for the evening, Aiono said. Like all other BYUSA committees, the committee members spent 14 weeks getting ready for Fall Fest.
BYUSA is now preparing for the semester’s upcoming events. Foreign Figures Kitfox and VanLadyLove will perform a free outdoor concert at Brigham Square on September 25. Homecoming week will run from October 6 through 10 with activities planned for each day of the week.
Orrock said she would like to attend BYUSA’s activities later in the semester because she has a good time at them.
“I feel school spirit when I’m here,” Orrock said. “This has been a great kickoff.”
