With inclement weather changing the venue, thousands of Boston University students descended on the Fuller Building at 808 Commonwealth Ave. yesterday to check out campus organizations at the annual “Splash” event.
The rainy Labor Day forced the event, regularly held every year on Nickerson Field, inside, as the morning began with a drizzle and hit a pour by midday. The room quickly filled with sweating students, but none of them complained at the prospect of receiving free stuff.
Students received a number of items from the vendors hawking their wares, including pens, shampoo, water bottles, Frisbees, coupons, drinks, balloons and chowder. The free goods were mainly used as bait for the organizations, clubs and businesses hoping to entice students to join, buy and sign up for mailing lists.
According to many of the students in attendance, it worked.
“It was a good introduction to BU,” agreed JB Steffy, a College of Arts and Sciences freshman, who left to drop off all his free stuff, then returned with friends for more. “It introduced me to the options.”
The Student Activities Office, the Interfraternity Sorority Council, Career Services, Marching Band, sports teams, the Marine Corps, the Student Union, Spectrum, The Daily Free Press and other student organizations called to curious students. Sponsors and vendors included AT’T, Barnes ‘ Nobles, CambridgeSide Galleria, FleetBoston, French Connection, Home Depot, MTV2, Shaw’s Supermarket and Pepsi.
Many students entered contests for giveaways, shopping sprees and posters, while others decorated Frisbees and climbed through the inflatable bouncy obstacle course.
Cheerleaders formed pyramids in one corner, while across the room, the ballroom dancing club showed off, bumping into wandering freshmen.
Many freshmen said it was a nice change of pace from the matriculation ceremony earlier in the morning.
“It was fun after I was falling asleep when the Chancellor talked for an hour,” said Laura Destefanis, a College of Arts and Sciences freshman. “That took all the energy out of me.”
Destefanis said she was enticed by the free items and information about certain organizations at the school.
“I got a lot of free stuff and played games trying to win something. I signed up for cheerleading information, too,” Destefanis said. “It did help a little for information.”
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