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During this year's Mirthday, students wandered from booth to booth, playing games, collecting prizes, munching on popcorn, sipping smoothies, eating sno-cones and just enjoying a day of relaxation before final exams.
Over 65 UM-St. Louis facilities, campus clubs and organizations participated in the celebrations. Some of the organizations that held booths and participated in Mirthday 2005 included Student Life, Residential Life, The Catholic Newman Center, Sigma Tau Gamma, Sigma Pi, Pi Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Pi, Horizons, Amnesty International, Helping Hands, Flames Dance Team, Gallery Visio, Health Services, Career Services, International Students Incorporated, STAT, Anthropology Club, Chain of Arts, Golden Key and the Pre-Vet Club.
All of the campus organizations that participated handed out fliers promoting their group, supplied information about their actions and organized some games for others.
Ring toss, balloon pop, darts, twister, basketball challenge, plinko, roulette, water balloon toss, bowling and the duck pick were only a few of the games that gave students the chance to win prizes. Players won prizes such as keychains, T-shirts, dice, candy, cups, candles, picture frames, stuffed animals and CDs. Other booths held drawings for iPods, computer accessories and gift baskets.
"I enjoyed all of the free candy; it was like Halloween," David Grigoryan, sophomore, International Business, said.
Many students stood in line to test their throwing skills in the pie throwing contest organized by Students Today Alumni Tomorrow. The group used whipped cream on paper plates to cut the costs of using real pies.
D'Andre Braddix, sophomore, criminology and criminal justice, was one of the targets for the whipped-cream throwers.
"I had to have had at least 25 pies thrown in my face today," Braddix said.
Tegan Viggers, junior, biology, another STAT member who followed Braddix, described what it was like to get pies thrown in her face.
"The pies kept getting in my eyes and I couldn't see anything," Viggers said.
Along with taking part in the games, students also had the chance to go on carnival rides. The upside-down ferris wheel, "The Hurricane" and "The Sizzler," twisted and turned while students screamed out joys of excitement and fright. "The Fun Slide" and "Dizzy Dragons" offered amusement for people of all ages.
Radio station Z107.7 handed out bumper stickers, keychains and concert information.
Throughout the afternoon, DJ Charlie Chan mixed turn tables and played hip-hop on the main stage.
With the option of grabbing lunch inside at the Nosh, purchasing a funnel cake at one of the outside stands or getting a hamburger outside from Chartwells, food was not a problem.
Although most of the main food cost, other booths gave away cotton candy, popcorn, bottled water, sno-cones, smoothies and ice cream sandwiches for free.
Mirthday has been the annual spring carnival celebration for many years at UM-St. Louis. The event has always been held on the third Wednesday of April and usually during International Week.
Organizations like the International Students Association, Muslim Student Association, Indian Student Association, Thai Association, Korean, Tawain, Indonesian, Chinese-Midland and Study Abroad were just some of the campus groups that reflected on culture and diversity.
In past years, Mirthday has welcomed musicians like Nappy Roots and Ludacris. This year, UM-St. Louis welcomed Aloha from American Idol and celebrity rapper "Twista."
Scattered showers late in the afternoon did not put an end to the day of celebration.
The event concluded with Twista's performance, which was moved inside to the J.C. Penney Building at 8 p.m.
"This was the first time that I attended Mirthday. It was a fun and exciting experience and I will definitely come next year," Nicole Larson, junior, communication, said.
Mirthday was sponsored and held by the University Program Board and the Office of Student Life.
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