Another BadgerFest has come and gone thanks to the efforts of BUSU and many other hard-working individuals.
It’s gone by many names, but frosh week activities have always been a crucial and exciting part of the Brock University experience, and this year’s BadgerFest was no exception.
This year, BUSU supplied new and returning Badgers with various events to ease them into the fall term, ranging from calm and creative to boisterous and boozy.
While this editor was unable to attend every event, I was fortunate enough to talk to some of the people involved. Here’s just a few of the highlights from a week of fun and friendship.
Sexy Bingo
Drag performances have become a core part of BUSU’s identity in past years, and this year’s Sexy Bingo continued to prove that statement true.
While previous years have seen the inclusion of Condom Blackjack, this BadgerFest was gambling-free. Instead, lucky participants got to watch a number of performances put on by local drag queens. Said performances had the Ian Beddis Gym quaking with cheers and applause when finally, Brock’s mainstay Vanity a la Mode came out to crack some jokes and give out some prizes.
“Sexy Bingo was so much fun,” said Vanity. “The students’ enthusiasm always leaves me in such a great mood. I love hosting and meeting the students. The vibe was great. I’m still on a high from the event.”
Returning Badgers will know Vanity from shows and performances put on in recent years. “Someone from the university reached out to a friend who couldn’t do the event but recommended me and the rest is history,” said Vanity about how she came to perform at Brock in the first place. “That was about 10 years ago. BUSU treats me so well when I come for bingo — that and the students make me come back year after year!”
“I absolutely love making people happy and being the life of the party, so this gig is one of my favourites. I love that it’s become such a popular event, I look forward to it every year!” said Vanity. Indeed, this year’s bingo was so popular students stood against the wall just to watch and cheer. If Vanity calls, Badgers will answer.
Community Fair
Clubs at Brock are some of the most essential facets of the student experience, and this two-day event was almost entirely dedicated to them. At the rows of tents and tables sat club executives eager to talk to students and add to their ranks.
“My community fair experience was very positive. All our club executives enjoyed it as well,” said Lucas Michlik, President of the Brock University Lego Club, whose Lego giveaway and bright poster attracted passersby. Although he wished BUSU had provided cold water instead of ice cream and energy drinks, he said that “the event was very well organized by BUSU, and there were some great clubs and people involved in the day.”
Thanks to the fair, Michlik was able to talk to students about various club plans, like the Lego-Grams (Roses) and Lego Christmas Ornaments fundraisers, as well as the Brock Campus LEGO Model the club is planning.
“It was great to see such a diverse group of students interested in our club and activities,” said Michlik, noting that not only did he speak to first-year students, but also upper-year undergraduate and even MA students. By the end of it, Michlik believes over a hundred students discovered the Lego Club, a number he said was “fantastic.”
This sentiment was also shared by Ethan Huffman, new President of the Brock Creative Writing Club, who was surprised by “not only the amount of people that attended the fair and came to our booth, but also the variety of students.”
“It’s one of the rare times you get to see people of different interests from all over Brock gathered in one place, interacting with one another,” said Huffman. “It really helps motivate club executives like me to continue working to give something to the community. I’m really thankful for all those who attended, and for BUSU [for] organizing and continuing to run this event.”
“I expect because of the BUSU Community Fair, our club will be larger than it has ever been,” said Huffman.
Alex Francoz attended the community fair as both the President of the Brock University ASL Club and a representative for Brock’s Varsity Fencing Team, and found the event helped both organizations’ community outreach: “Both fencing and ASL are niche, and getting the word out their either exist at Brock and are something that a student can participate in is really difficult… [especially] for the ASL Club, as it’s both small and lost a lot of traction post-COVID.”
Both Huffman and Francoz were impressed by the new passport system established by BUSU for this Community Fair.
“Those were fun and both brought more people to the ASL booth and made me feel more involved while I walked around. It also gave me an excuse to go to some booths that I wouldn’t normally attend,” said Francoz. “Overall, a great two days, with lots of cool stuff around.”
The Community Fair was a fun and festive event, and one that will continue to breathe life into the community of student clubs at Brock for years to come.
Movie Night Under the Stars
Brock students may not have been able to sit beneath real stars on Weather Station Field due to an unfortunate bout of rain, but Gym 2 served as a suitable replacement for a social screening of Deadpool.
“We had a great turnout, including people lining up almost two hours in advance of [the] doors opening,” said Avery Lowe, a senior producer at BrockTV, who hosted the event.
“I tried to keep count of the amount of students there but I easily lost count. I know it was way over a hundred though because we ran out of our free blankets — we had a hundred — pretty quickly and students just kept coming.”
Lowe was behind the promotional material for the Movie Night, which included an edited video that inserted logos and event information into a clip from the movie as well as “BrockTVPool stickers” which were handed out at the event.
“This was my first time taking the reins on a project like this. Once we picked the movie, I had a ton of ideas floating around my head on how to promote it. Thankfully my manager, Joel, was very open to hearing my ideas and helping me execute them,” said Lowe. “[That’s] what I enjoy most about work like this. I’m able to learn and get help for what I want to do to make the best products for the students.”
“I personally find BadgerFest important, especially for first-year students, because it’s a way to get out there,” said Lowe. “It’s a way to meet new people or get to know your roommates better. It’s a way to see what the school and BUSU [have] to offer. I think it’s a great [way] for students to start to find their footing in university life.”
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Overall, this year’s BadgerFest was another success. Still, it is only a taste of the extra-curricular activities available at Brock, so if any of these events or interactions piqued your interest, follow the thread. You never know where it could lead you by the end of the year or even the end of your degree.
To learn more about those mentioned in this article, you can visit their Instagram accounts: @vanityalamode_ @brocklegoclub @brocku.aslclub @brkfencer @brockcreativewriting @brocktv
