Students playing the life-size board game Hungry Hippos.

Former resident advisor of Oakwood and Manges and current resident director of Founder’s Village, Reed Lyons (’10), who is also the director of campus activities, is well acquainted with Bethel’s time-honored traditions. This year, with the help of his dedicated intern John Nicoletti (‘15) and the campus activities board, Lyons is mixing old traditions like Battle of the Bands with new activities like the miniseries Life Sized Board Games. Their goal is to bring the campus together and offer once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for students.

“We’re not here to plan the student’s social activities, but we just want to make sure that when you’re at Bethel you have things to do at Bethel that you wouldn’t necessarily be able to do when you graduate or when you’re in high school,” says Lyons.

Campus activities plans weekly events for students so there is always something new and exciting to do on campus. This spring semester, Lyons has come up with a number of campus events to distract students from the busyness of the end of the school year.

Laser Tag – March 15

Students will gather in Goodman Gymnasium to participate in a six-hour laser tag event. A laser tag course will be set up in the gym where students can come and go and play as many games as they want for a six-hour time period.

Reed Lyons talking about the rules of Hungry Hippos.

Bethelon Race – April 14 and 15

This adventure race will take place over the entire campus and will include a giant obstacle course with challenging obstacles, like the mud run where students will be required to run through layers of mud. Those who survive the course get a free T-shirt. This event is free and open to all Bethel students.

Boat Races – April 19

Students will participate in a hunger games-themed boat race where they will make boats out of cardboard and sail them across the ponds on campus, while dodging various obstacles, such as tennis balls flying through the air.

Sadie Hawkins Week – April

Campus activities is planning a weeklong event where the girls on campus will ask the guys to partner with them in a series of events including scavenger hunts, dodgeball, costume contests and more.

Barter and Trade – April 29-May 3

During finals week, campus activities is planning “a grand campus exchange” similar to a garage sale or craft fair where students will reserve tables around the pond to trade, barter, or sell handcrafted items or other objects.

These are just some of the many events campus activities is planning for this spring semester. With weekly activities, such as open mic night at Sufficient Grounds, and larger planned events like the ones previously mentioned, there is never a dull moment on Bethel’s campus.

“People should come out to the events to have fun with their friends, to have something to do, to meet new people, to meet new friends and also to just have a good time,” says Lyons.

For more information about social life events, visit the social life page or visit their Facebook page.