On the afternoon of Tuesday, Oct. 24, Tech Green was swarming with Jackets who had gathered for the 2023 Homecoming Carnival hosted by the Student Center Programs Council (SCPC).
Students enjoyed the fair weather as they united over fun, food and festivities in this all-inclusive event.
As students flew through the air on the bungee jump trampoline, others hobbled along as they raced to be the first to cross the line in a three-legged race. Still, others played a ring toss game where the objective was to throw a hula-hoop around a traffic cone from a set distance.
SCPC placed an inflatable slide in the corner of Tech Green that allowed students to take several turns climbing to the top and tumbling down. Directly next to the inflatable slide was a game of laser tag, complete with inflated obstacles for students to take cover from oncoming shots.
“I was just passing by when the slide attracted my friends and me. We also really enjoyed shooting each other during the laser tag,” said Seongbin Jo, Ph.D. CHBE.
The carnival also offered two opportunities for teams to earn points for Homecoming, an obstacle course and an egg toss.
The obstacle course had teams hurdle and push through obstacles in the inflatable corn-themed obstacle course in pursuit of the fastest time possible.
Participants stacked on top of each other in pyramids as runners tossed eggs into the hands of the person at the top of the pyramid in the egg toss. Several students left the event with egg yolk covering their faces and hair.
Students also had the opportunity to participate in arts and crafts projects. Alex His, first-year MSE, was making a “nebula in a bottle” a sealed plastic container with glitters and paints — when the Technique spoke with him.
“I got drawn in by the free snacks and drinks on my way from a class in Clough. I liked the event’s vibe and decided to make this nebula. Given that it’s a student-run organization, this is a very well-organized event,” His said.
Students who had a ticket to the event, either obtained before or by walking up, could pick up cupcakes and brownies provided by SCPC. Thanks to a partnership between SCPC and the Coke Student Ambassadors Program, students were also provided with a free Coke beverage.
The Technique spoke to event organizers Christian Duetemeyer, MS ECE and President of SCPC, and Jeff Kramer, third-year BIO and Festival Chair for SCPC, about the carnival.
“The Homecoming Carnival is all about bringing people together. It is a great time to honor Georgia Tech traditions and celebrate spirit,” Kramer said.
Kramer emphasizes that everyone has an opportunity to be a part of the community regardless of their backgrounds and interests. SCPC specifically chose the carnival events to have a fun activity for everyone.
“We have larger scale attractions for some people who might be more adrenaline seekers, like the slides and trampoline, but we also have smaller scale carnival activities such as the three-legged race and ring toss,” Kramer said.
The carnival is just one event that SCPC hosts for Homecoming Week each fall, but Duetemeyer pointed out that the carnival is uniquely open and accesible to everyone in the community.
“Something unique about the Homecoming Carnival is that unlike most of our other events, it is not a competition where you have to sign up and be part of a team. You get to enjoy homecoming and traditions without being in that competitive spirit,” Duetemeyer said.
The Carnival attracted a diverse range of students. Due to its prominent location, many attendees were passersby who saw the fun and wanted to join in. SCPC was prepared to handle up to 800 students who claimed a ticket before the event or got one during the onsite check-in.
Duetemeyer told the Technique that SCPC is devoted to engaging the Georgia Tech student body all year and providing everyone in the community with various things to do and enjoy. Students looking to attend future SCPC events can stay updated by following them on Instagram @GTSCPC or on their website at studentcenter.gatech.edu/scpc.
“It is important to host these events at Georgia Tech because it’s hard for many people to make friends on their own since they’re so busy with classes and other commitments. Events like this bring the community together; it gives a venue for people to make friends and connections in a fun place,” Duetemeyer said.
The students who attended the carnival filled Tech Green with laughter and spirit as they traveled from station to station. Many of the students had never met before the event and were from a wide range of backgrounds, but as they enjoyed the Tuesday afternoon, they had one thing in common — they were all Jackets.