MRC turns eight with big celebration

The Morris Recreation Center celebrated its eighth year in operation at Texas A&M University – Commerce this year, with the annual Birthday Bash on Sept 1. Students and faculty members alike were invited to come join in the celebration and partake in various activities and plenty of food.

"This year we wanted to make it bigger," Special Events Programmer Sarah Cunningham said. "We wanted more activities that the students would want to participate in and that's why we got the human foosball, the slam dunk, and the other inflatables that we have today."

This year's bash took place at the recreation center's outdoor area to give the event more of a carnival feel. Some of the attractions this year included an inflatable obstacle course, human foosball, and a dunk tank in which many A&M-Commerce faculty members, including Dean of Students Brian Nichols, challenged contestants to submerge them in water. One of the students to successfully sink the Dean was sophomore April Neal.

"I dunked [Dean Nichols] in the second try…that's called skills," Neal said. "I definitely enjoyed all the free food and games. It was nice to get to interact with all my college buds that I haven't seen since the end of the spring semester. Overall, I had a blast and I think there should be more events like this."

The event also offered various carnival themed foods this year, such as nachos and funnel cakes, but kept with the birthday celebration with cupcakes and a birthday cake.

"I think the event is actually pretty cool," sophomore LaToya Hawkins said. "I get to meet new people and hang out with people and eat some really good food. I wanted to get my picture drawn, but the line was too long, so I just danced with my friend."

Hawkins said that while she did enjoy the event, she wished some of the lines moved faster, but with the number of people in attendance she knew that it would be difficult for that to happen.

Many students appreciated the decision to move the event outside this year instead of at the indoor basketball courts like last year. NACWC member Yvette Simpson believes that this change made the event better because it was "less crowded and not as hot."