For once, the Earl Hall gate was conveniently open, so I didn’t have to walk for long before reaching the event, which was hosted up the stairs of Earl Hall. Upon signing in and being greeted by two lovely staffers, I was pleasantly met by an expansive spread of pre-packaged snacks—some of the best I’ve seen this whole semester. Among the selection of potato chips, popcorn, and Halloween candy, I grabbed a bag of Kettle Corn PopCorners (which I’d later snag three more of on my way out) and took a seat with my friend at one of the six or so round tables. In total, there were about a couple dozen students in the room. At our table, most were either fellow freshmen or transfers. 

When I joined, they were playing Giant UNO, which, if you haven’t played before, is exactly what it sounds like: UNO but with giant 7” x 10” cards. Now… I have my complaints with this game. One, it is nearly impossible not to catch a glimpse of the cards of the person sitting next to you (however, some may view this as a pro). And two, the size of the cards makes them extremely difficult to shuffle. That said, the size of the cards also makes for an impeccably dramatic +4 play. Our choice of stacking may have helped in that respect as well. 

I, unfortunately, did not make first, or second, or even third place in the game; however, I did have a fun time and met some really great people, who I very likely would’ve never interacted with otherwise! We exchanged Instagram handles, which have seemingly replaced phone numbers nowadays, and made plans to keep in touch. Have we? Not necessarily. That said, if I were to see their faces in the dining hall or on my walk to class, I would definitely say hi… and sometimes, especially as a freshman when everything else around you feels unfamiliar, a friendly face is really all you need.