Anna giacalone
While the recent polar vortex hasn’t quite had its sights on Pleasantville, our campus has undeniably been hit with some extreme cold in the first two weeks. Despite this, members of the Honors College were able to stay warm on Wednesday, January 30th thanks to the first Honors event of the semester. To kick off the semester, the Honors College hosted a Welcome Back Hot Chocolate Night in Alumni Hall to welcome Honors students back to campus.
At the event, students could choose from a wide array of hot chocolate mixes (super chocolatey, mild, mixes with and without marshmallows) and plenty of games to play. Perhaps the main attraction, though, was the conversation, as the event served as a great way for students to just get together and hang out before the semester really started. For many students, this event served as a great kickoff to the semester as a night filled with chatter, fun, and relaxation.
Many students also used this night as a way to catch up with one another. Since many left for the winter intersession, this night was the perfect way for students to discuss their breaks, how the last semester went for them, and how they are feeling about this upcoming semester, feelings and stories that several attendees were eager to share.
“This semester, I’m looking forward to going to other Honors Events to get Honors swag, going ice skating, and spending time with Dr. Dinan and Carol,” said Honors RA Connor Wills, who was helping out with the event.
Other students in attendance also shared their excitement for upcoming Pace events as well as their excitement for things that they’ll be doing this Spring semester. I’m looking forward to taking my first nursing class,” said first-year student Vivianna Martinez. “Last semester, everything that I took was really general, but I’m excited that I’ll be taking something for my major.”
Some students also shared their excitement for the extracurricular: for example, freshman Michael Del Bene talked about his plans to get back into building Lego Star Wars kits, and Freshman Emma Legacki expressed her excitement for the upcoming final season of Game of Thrones.
“This was a great introduction to the start of the semester,” said Honors College President Nathanael Linton. “It’s really great that this event went so well, and I’m really happy that this had such a great turnout.”
For those who missed this first event, there are certainly more to come as the semester continues. On Wednesday, February 13th, there was a Valentine’s Day Game Night in Alumni Hall with fondue—both chocolate and cheese fondue served! Be sure to check your emails for more details about upcoming events!