Atlanta history was made in 1996 when the city hosted its first Olympic games. Last week on March 4, the Student Center Programs Council (SCPC) hosted its own Olympic games right in Bobby Dodd Stadium.
SCPC set up cornhole, spikeball, soccer and field goal kicking on the field and allowed students to compete as individuals or as teams in the different games.
There was also an option to spectate the event from the stands.
This is the first active student event that has taken place at Bobby Dodd — no previous event has involved physical activity.
“Recently, Bobby Dodd changed what type of field they had, so now we’re allowed to have events on it,” said Amulya Noone, fourth-year NEURO and a member of SCPC. “We were just in contact with the athletics team. They just had a few regulations, like nothing could be staked into the ground, and we had to decide games based off that.
“But it was just mainly contact with the other organizations on campus, telling them what the event was and what would be involved, and they were excited to have an event here.”
SCPC sold out of tickets for the event, giving away 45 competitor tickets over the course of three different time slots during the duration of the event.
While perhaps cornhole is not as momentous as Olympic track or swim, this was still a much needed event for students.
“The sense of time has really changed and shifted since COVID, and so I think it makes it even harder to feel like you can breathe and you can time for yourself,” said Briana Anderson, fourth-year LMC. “Before COVID, this is what I would do — I would go out to an event or with my friends, and … physically leaving whatever [my] study space was.
“… Virtual hangouts and stuff are great, and they do some of the job, but they don’t do the whole job of what in person events do.”
Anderson and other attendees all agreed that their main intention for attending the event was to take a moment away from the stress of school.
Without a spring break, students have struggled with maintaining a healthy, hard-working mindset following the halfway point of the semester.
“It’s just been a tough semester for everyone,” said Ian Yang, first-year CS. “It’s really good to de-stress, just get your mind off of things, get out and run around, get some exercise that I know we all desperately need. [Exercising] keeps us healthy, helps boost our immune systems and everything, but it also just gets us out, gets us moving and active.
“Also, we’re not cooped up in our rooms just inhaling the same air that we’ve been inhaling. It really helps us flush our systems and get our minds ready to keep working.”
Zachary Dearman, first-year AE, agreed that the opportunity for physical activity provided at the event, was a healthy break from his schoolwork.
“Staying physically fit is just good for everyone’s immune system, so being able to come out here and enjoy the fresh air, maybe feel like Jeff Sims every once in a while, felt good,” Dearman said.
It’s not too late to join in on the fun. Other upcoming SCPC events include Tech Feud on March 12, GT Day at the Zoo on March 13 and Sting Break 2021 on March 16.
Students can learn more about these events and reserve free tickets at studentcenter.gatech.edu.