LSU homecoming week kicked off on the Parade Ground last night with the Residential Hall Association’s annual Splatterbeat — an event where students lined up to throw a mixture of paint and water at friends and strangers.
Students were encouraged to donate canned goods to CANapalooza, a canned food drive running from early October through the end of homecoming week, in exchange for a free t-shirt.
Business and marketing junior William Underwood, RHA Director of Programming and Finance, said the idea for Splatterbeat came from the Southwest Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls conference.
The event came to LSU about six years ago and received positive feedback. Underwood said he thinks the event serves a good purpose.
“It’s really good just because it’s the first day of homecoming week, so it’s school spirit, and also just to help out CANapalooza,” Williams said.
Splatterbeat is the one event hosted by RHA involving the entire LSU community, said religious studies junior Connor Dizor, RHA Director of Volunteers and Philanthropy.
“The purpose is to bring everyone together and build a sense of community,” Dizor said. “That’s why partnering with homecoming week is so great, because we can really reach out to the LSU community as a whole, outside of the residential halls as well as inside.”
Before last year, Splatterbeat was held as its own event. Dizor said RHA decided to hold it in conjunction with CANapalooza to further tie the event into homecoming week.
Early childhood education freshman Allison Dufrechou said she liked being able to throw paint at anyone, regardless of whether or not she knew them.
“As soon as we ran in there, everybody went and grabbed some and just like splattered it everywhere on everybody,” Dufrechou said. “It was awesome, and you didn’t have to know people, you just hit anyone.”
Political science and international studies freshman Sara Breaux said she plans on attending Splatterbeat again with her friends next year.
“It was with your friends, so you could attack your friends with paint,” Breaux said. “Everyone around you was kind of just exploding paint everywhere.”