Written by Caleb Chunn // Photo by Lauren Simmons
Campus Life officially launched a new weekly event called “Cotton Candy Friday” on Feb. 24, and students flocked to taste the new treat.
Campus Life tested their idea to spin cotton candy for students on Fridays two weeks ago and announced its official beginning on Monday in chapel.
Director of Campus Life Abby Stinnett said this event grew from brainstorming sessions with Dean of Students Zach Neal and Assistant Dean for Student Development Marcus Thomas to its launch in the Campus Life office.
“I was talking to my student workers, and Lisanne [Cheatham] was like, ‘Oh, let’s do cotton candy,’” Stinnett said. “So I looked online and was like, ‘No this is actually pretty attainable. Let’s do it.’”
Other than providing students with a sweet treat at the end of the week, these Cotton Candy Fridays also bring students in contact with the Campus Life office, located in the Student Center pit next to Tacker’s Shake Shack.
“I think this would be a really fun thing to do,” Stinnett said. “It just brings people into our office, and just maybe if they don’t know who Campus Life is, they can just get some cotton candy and have a really nice Friday.”
The cotton candy is spun in front of the students and passed out in the Campus Life office from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every Friday. o make the launch even more fun, special Cotton Candy Friday merchandise was given to the first 20 people through the doors on Feb. 24.
Freshman Tucker Allen said he jumped on the opportunity to get free cotton candy at the soft launch three weeks ago.
“It makes my day happy,” Allen said. “It’s Friday. It’s a good way to go out of the week, something that just after lunch, you know, you might want something sweet.”
Sophomore Jackson Trahant also grabbed some free cotton candy during the official hard launch of Cotton Candy Friday.
“I’m very appreciative of any efforts that any group, including [Campus Life] takes on campus to organize something that can just be a regular source of fun or joy,” Trahant said. “Like to have one more thing to look forward to, it’s just a moment to take a break from homework and enjoy something and share with friends. It was really special.”
Campus Life plans on continuing with this weekly event and plans to eventually bring the cotton candy machine to some of their other planned events. Campus Life will make announcements about Cotton Candy Friday on their Instagram page, @hardingcampuslife.
