A javelin-throwing contest, Star Wars-style podraces, Ewok hunts and light saber fights were all part of the Residence Hall Associations Gosh Darn Independence week events.
The javelin-throwing contest was originally supposed to be a Quidditch match, but was changed at the last minute due to poor turnout.
Events coordinator Shevin Halvorson, sophomore, said his committee attempted to use multiple outlets to spread word of a Quidditch match, including fliers, the residence hall newsletter and word of mouth. Even with the efforts made by his team, Halvorson linked the low participant numbers to a few factors.
“People forget easily,” Halvorson said. “If you tell someone something once, chances are they’re going to forget it.”
The makeshift javelin throwing contest was the third event of GDI week, said Amanda Mollet, assistant director for housing. She said the theme of the event, chosen by the Residence Hall Committee, was titled “Dorm Wars: Return of the Res Halls.”
“GDI week is a chance for different halls to meet people outside of their building,” Mollet said. “Competing with one another is a chance to show residence hall pride.”
Mollet said Theophilius Tower won the Ewok Scavenger Hunt Monday, the first event of GDI week. Teddy bears were placed around campus and the first team to collect the most bears won. On Tuesday, residence hall participants handcrafted tricycle Pod-racers and raced head-to-head against each other on the Tower lawn sidewalk. After being given 30 minutes to build an adequate pod racer, the three teams from LLCs and Targhee, East Side Wallace and the Tower, attempted to make three laps around the Tower sidewalk. Some pods could be seen losing both pieces from the Star Wars-inspired vehicle as well as participants that flew over the tricycles low-rise handlebars. Within the first two laps, the LLCs broke away from the other two pod racers and snatched first place for the event, earning 20 GDI points.
“We had a game plan going in and we stuck with it,” said Isaac Fuchs, LLC pod racer. “The hardest part was changing drivers at the designated spots. It was a good time.”
These points are accumulated at the end of the week and the winning team will be awarded a trophy.
Halvorson, a music education and composition major, said competition is not the only reason RHA organized GDI week.
“The importance is to celebrate and have fun even if we are not in (a) Greek house,” Halvorson said. “It’s just about having a good time and making some memories.”
He said Dorm Wars was conceived during weekly RHA meetings that are set up to brainstorm ideas and plan events that would interest the campus residence population. His goal is to get as many people involved as possible.
“I put about 20 to 30 people into a room for an hour and make them brainstorm ideas, and then give them jobs to do after that,” Halvorson said. “Things get done which is surprising, but very convenient.”
GDI will be hosting its last competition at 6 p.m Friday on the Tower lawn. An award ceremony, banquet and costume party will follow the competition at Targhee. All students are welcome to attend.