Elgin Community College’s Student Life hosted Fall Fest in the Jobe Lounge on Wednesday Oct. 5. ECC’s Student Life Coordinator Megan Highland said that an estimated 600 people attended the event over the course of three-and-a-half hours.

Attendees were able to carve pumpkins, talk to clubs and play games for different prizes.

The also event hosted different vendors including Mario’s, Ferdie’s Cabin and Dan Herbst from Herbkoe Fun Foods, who made caramel apples and a local farm that sold fresh produce and other goods.

“Our overall goal and objective was to provide an opportunity for engagement and enrichment for our students,” Highland said.  “This is just an opportunity for them to feel like ECC is a home away from home, to feel good about their campus especially coming back from a pandemic.”

Many students said they enjoyed the opportunity to have a break in their day and enjoy the fall festivities. Pumpkin carving was one of the most popular activities.

“My favorite part was the pumpkins; I’m honestly having a lot of fun carving them with my friends and coming up with cool designs,” said ECC first-year student Shayndel Valles.

Students also played fall-themed games and activities set up by the various clubs.

Some of these activities included Honors in Action’s (HIA) Halloween themed ring toss, Students Who Are Not Silent’s (SWANS) cookie decorating and mini golf by both Educators Rising and Associated Nurse’s Students (ANS).

HIA officer Ely Thompson explained that HIA’s research topic, nostalgia of play, was tied into the main theme of their table, “The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.”

“…We really just wanted people to feel nostalgic and I know that I remember watching the movie growing up and I hope that other people do to,” Thompson said. “Charlie Brown is just one of those things that help you feel that warm and fuzzy feeling.”

While most clubs paid for their table decorations with their provided funding and fundraised money, new clubs didn’t have that opportunity.

Third-year student Kate Moreno, the president and co-founder of the new Strength and Wellness club, explained that their club is considered a temporary. As a temporary club the Strength and Wellness club had no budget for decorations, so they got creative.

“We asked around so many people, so many departments if we could borrow skeletons,” Moreno said. “So, we got a skeleton, we got muscle people, we made a little barbell with pumpkins for the skeleton as decoration and we also bought little skeletons and posed them like they were working out.”

Moreno, the club’s adviser Kenneth Beynon, Vice President Hannah Garcia, Treasurer Anthony Torres and Secretary Rafael Manjarrez all paid out of pocket to decorate their table.

The club’s goal was to win Student Life’s “most creative table and game contest.”

According to Highland the table that had the best Halloween themed games and decorations would be given the choice between a pizza party or $100 added to their club budget. The contest was judged by secret judges that Highland would not disclose.

For those looking for more fall themed events, later this month the Educators Rising club is hosting a pumpkin painting party on Oct. 20 from 7 to 9 p.m.

“…The pumpkin painting party is open to anyone who would like to RSVP,” said Educators Rising President Destiny Guevara. “No matter if you’re a returning member of the club or not.”