Who says it never snows in San Diego? From 9 p.m. last Friday to 1 a.m. Saturday, it did. Winter Wonderland returned for its fourth consecutive year in an annual on-campus event at Scripps Cottage, as part of the Aztec Nights series.
Approximately 30 tons of snow were brought in to cover a large portion of the Scripps Cottage lawn; a perfect location for this extravaganza. Each year more snow is ordered than the previous year to accommodate the increasing attendance numbers, which reached approximately 500 students this year. Participants, particularly Southern California natives, were delighted.
“I’m from Long Beach and it’s my first time seeing snow, so it’s really cool,” freshman Karina Vaquiz said.
Areas for sledding and building snowmen were sectioned off, adding to the fun. Plenty of sleds were provided, along with hot chocolate and s’mores served next to the fireplace, inspiring nostalgic feelings and an atmosphere freshman and Santa Clarita native Sondra Yamashita said was “like Christmas all over again, a true white Christmas!”
Wii Winter Sports and board games were provided inside the cottage for those opting to stay warm and cozy. For those braving the chilly night, DJ Cliff de Peralta and his crew from Project 3 entertained the crowd on the patio. As the night progressed, it was hard to know which attraction offered the most fun, because everyone was seemingly having such an enjoyable time. When asked about what she thought of the event, freshman Alexandra Theisen said, “You never get snow here, so it’s really nice.”
Freshman Rebecca Romero added, “It’s a great idea … whoever came up with it.”
Thanks goes to Associate Director of the Residential Education Office Darrell Hess, who was the event’s main organizer. Hess said funding for this year’s Winter Wonderland came from five different programs affiliated with SDSU.
“It’s a nice experience to be outside enjoying ourselves without certain party elements or influences. It’s just a bunch of us college kids having fun,” junior Katrina Wagoner said.
By the looks on the participants’ faces, it seemed many SDSU students, whether local or from other cities, appreciated the effort put into bringing the event to campus. Although some students said the event could have been even better with more snow on the ground. They may get their wish next year.
Previous surveys of the event indicate more SDSU students who reside off-campus attend such events as compared to on-campus students. Winter Wonderland has proven to be a great way to get students who don’t feel connected to the campus involved.
