(UCR/Stan Lim)
This past Thursday, the Associate Student Program Board held a movie night at sunset by the bell tower. The movie in question was no other than Shrek. This movie was decided by an Instagram poll conducted by ASPB earlier in the week. The completely outdoor event was the perfect opportunity for students to bring out their picnic blankets and enjoy the warmer weather. Upon entry students had to show their completed wellness check. While the event on the ASPB instagram was advertised as starting at 4 p.m. originally, a separate flier stated a start time of 5 p.m. While this confused some students in line, throwing an event at this time of day was already a little awkward.
Time confusion aside, students quickly started to show up, eager to take pictures with the cardboard cutout of Shrek. Snacks were provided, students had the option to pick between either an apple sauce pack or a handful of HI-CHEW. A small container of popcorn was also provided to each student. Fortune cookies were advistersted on the original flyer, but none were given out at the event. The highlight for many attending was being able to pick a heart shaped carabiner, perfect for the current valentines day season.
Students had more than enough room to spread out throughout the lawn. From a casual hangout with friends to a date night, this was the perfect event to spend time with loved ones in a safe way. The event, which had the capacity to hold 250 students, successfully managed to not feel crowded. Before the movie started, the Shrek soundtrack kept everyone in a nostalgic and entertained environment.
The movie started out with some technical difficulties, but soon enough started to play. While I finished my snacks in the first ten minutes of the movie, the entire viewing experience was very enjoyable. ASPB should hold more outdoor events, which are a safer option for students who want to participate in on campus activities.
