One of the most beloved parts of the college experience are on-campus events, such as sports events, seasonal activities and social gatherings. This coming week, Grand Valley State University is celebrating homecoming, and the Campus Activities Board (CAB) has cultivated a variety of spirit events for students. 

Many recognize “homecoming” as an event for high school students, characterized by fancy dresses and banquet halls. In contrast, college homecoming is a dedicated time for GVSU alumni to visit their alma mater. However, there are still a number of activities current GVSU students can participate in to celebrate homecoming this year. 

CAB has taken on the responsibility of planning and running homecoming activities from Oct. 25 through Oct. 30, but this is a challenge the organization is more than willing to handle.

“CAB has hosted many of campus’ favorite traditions, as well as created new ones as seen through Presidents’ Ball and Winterfest,” said CAB Director of Events and Programming Sydney Brzezinski. “We work hard to create opportunities for students to enjoy other parts of the college experience through the programming we do, as we tend to average around two events a week.” 

The kickoff event, Geocaching Safari on Allendale campus, will begin at 9 a.m. on Oct. 25. Students will be able to search for little treasures around campus, with the help of clues that will be posted on CAB’s social media accounts.

Only two days later, Oct. 27, marks the start of the Spirit Safari Scavenger Hunt, taking place on the Allendale and Pew campuses. Finally, on Oct. 28, the Lip-Sync Battle will occur at the Fieldhouse, with various teams competing for the title of Lip-Sync champions. 

In addition, to get in the Halloween spirit, CAB has planned some spooky activities throughout the week. Pumpkin painting and escape rooms will be available for students to partake in. To reserve a spot at in-person events, students should RSVP on The CAB Lakerlink. 

Students can even get involved with homecoming and other GVSU events without ever having to leave their beds. Smaller activities such as the Mental Health Minutes take place on CAB’s social media, making showing GVSU spirit easier than ever. In addition, the GVSU Costume Contest will be taking place online, so students can show off their costumes from the comfort of their own homes. 

Despite their virtual presence, CAB is especially excited to be able to host these events in person again, after a year of online programming due to COVID-19, Brzezinski said. However, the challenges the pandemic posed did have some beneficial impacts on the organization.  

“I was able to learn a lot more about creating well-rounded experiences and finding what our students wanted,” Brzezinski said. “With that, I am able to transform events to be even more successful and allow our event guests to leave with more than they came with, which may include new friends, memories, and impressions.” 

CAB undoubtedly contributes to positive experiences in college social life, and the CAB staff is honored to be a part of it.

“I love knowing that the events I work to program may be the one that people find lifelong friends at, be the reason they love Grand Valley, or introduce them to new experiences that you can’t find anywhere else,” Brzezinski said.