Alexis Long
Student Life Editor
With fall comes the crunching of leaves, pumpkin spice lattes and plenty of events on campus for TJC students.
Starting with the annual Fall Festival on Tuesday, Oct. 25. This event is coordinated by the office of Residential Life and Housing and Residential, but has the help of many organizations around campus. Residential Life and Housing assistant director Aukse Harris sees the positive impact the event has.
“We invite the Belle View elementary and middle school kids and they have such a great time with all of the activities and we see the cutest costumes too,” said Harris.
With the event being in Ornelas, one of the largest dormitories on campus, students have the ability to volunteer for the many different activities. Not only are students encouraged to wear their costumes, but children in the community can as well.
“The kids have a blast and it is always great to see the students relax for a bit,” said Harris. “We want to provide the community with a safe place to be during Halloween.”
The fest will begin at 6 p.m. and admission is free.
Students will also have the opportunity to attend the halloween dance on Thursday, Oct. 27. The event will be from 8 p.m. – 11 p.m. in the Apache Rooms located in Rogers Student Center.
“The dance is typically always put on by Apache Activities Council although this year we are teaming up with HSO (Hispanic Student Organization) and they’re going to have sort of a haunted house entrance,” said Center for Student Life and Involvement director, Lauren Tyler.“Typically, they have done that through the spirit room. Not a full out scale that Fall Fest does just to kind of add something to it… They’ll do kind of a haunted house entrance and then they do have a costume contest for cash prize.”
Students can pre-register for the costume contest through AAC’s orgsync page online by Oct. 26 at 5 p.m. Judging will take place outside of the Apache Rooms at 9:30 p.m. Winners will receive a $50 cash prize for each category: scary, cute, original, and couple.
Although there isn’t a strict dress code, Tyler said Campus Police will be providing security and making sure costumes aren’t too revealing.
“We have deterred some costumes so clowns will probably obviously be off the radar this year probably just in light of recent events,” said Tyler. “I would probably suggest to any student to probably pick a different costume choice this year just so that you’re not targeted for no reason.”
Students that may not be into carnival type activities can also get involved in the 3rd annual pumpkin decorating contest. The contest is open to all faculty, staff and students. Pumpkins can be carved, painted, decorated, etc. Aramark only asks that contestants use battery operated candles to light their pumpkins.
Anyone interested can drop their decorated pumpkin off in the Apache Junction anytime starting on Monday, Oct. 24 through Thursday, Oct. 27 before 10 a.m. Judging will take place on Thursday at noon and the winner will get $25 Apache Bux.
