Saint Mary’s Spirit Week kicks off Monday to determine which hall will be named “Hall of the Year.” The Saint Mary’s Residence Hall Association (RHA) will be hosting events throughout next week that will give opportunities for all SMC students to earn points for their dorm.
RHA president McKenzie Johnson said Spirit Week is important to have every year because it brings the Belles together.
“It brings everyone together for some friendly competition,” Johnson said. “[The week] determines who will win hall of the year. Which can be a huge deal, especially for hall directors.”
Johnson said the competition between residence halls makes the week unique to other themed weeks on campus.
“Every year you see a little competitive edge between the Belles during Spirit Week,” she said. “Everyone really gets into it. Everyone wants so see that pretty ‘Hall of the Year’ banner hung outside their dorm so it gets pretty crazy.”
Starting Monday, Spirit Week will be kicked off with a sand volleyball tournament running from 3-5 p.m. on the the Angela Sand Volleyball Courts. First, Holy Cross Hall will face Le Mans Hall at 3 p.m., then McCandless Hall will challenge Regina and Opus Halls at 3:30 p.m., and the winners of each match will face off at 4 p.m.
Tuesday’s event, “Tea with Hall Directors,” will begin at 1-2:30 p.m. and offer the opportunity for residents to stop by the office of their hall director, have a treat and get acquainted, while earning points for their halls.
Students can sign up with teams of two or three women and race canoes around Lake Marian this Wednesday to gain points for their respective residence halls. The race will start at 5 p.m. Johnson said this race has been a Saint Mary’s tradition for many years.
On Thursday, students can gets crafty by decorating mugs and mason jars in each of the residence halls from 3-5 p.m.
Spirit Week concludes with “Spirit Day” and “Penny Wars” on Friday. All students are asked to share their spirit by sporting their residence hall apparel and colors and contributing change to their designated residence hall jar in the Student Center. The jars will be in the Student Center Atrium from 11-2 p.m.
Johnson said she expects a different competition now that Regina Hall is also all first-years this year.
“[First-years] are usually tough competition when it comes to attendance of the events. Holy Cross Hall and Le Mans Hall may have a run for their money going up against two completely [first-year residence halls].”
The points towards the halls are through participation in the events. Additional points are given to the winners of specific events, such as the sand volleyball tournament, canoe races and Penny Wars.
This year's free tank-tops will be given out at each event, Johnson said.
Sophomore Taylor Burger said the free apparel is an exciting part of the week.
“I’m excited to support my hall and support Saint Mary’s as a whole this week,” Burger said “I’m totally looking forward to the canoe races.”
Burger, who lives in LeMans Hall this year, said she lived in McCandless Hall last year which earned the title of “Hall of the Year” last year.
“I was in McCandless last year so hopefully I’ll be in the winning dorm again this year,” she said.
First-year student Isabel Tetzloff said she’s excited to participate in spirit week as a new student.
“The events seem so fun, and I can’t wait to represent and earn points for my new home, all week,” Tetzloff said.
