Students line danced, stuffed themselves with fried chicken and jumped through an inflatable space walk at the Residential Life Association’s second annual tailgate, Pachyderm Punchout.
Having a previous year’s experience with the Gator Hater event for the LSU v. Florida football game, RHA was able to host a larger event this year.
“There is more room, so a lot more people can hang out,” Jared Champagne, RHA president of the Horseshoe area and communication studies sophomore said. “It’s definitely an improvement.”
Champagne, the unofficial disc jockey, controlled the music choices, blaring rap and dance music with RHA’s new sound system. Champagne said at last year’s event, they had only a radio to play music.
“We wanted to try to plan our programs so there’s one every month,” Nathan Boudreaux, RHA president, said. “We wanted to make [the programs] consistent. There’s also a big rivalry [between Alabama and LSU].”
RHA planned the tailgate for Friday afternoon, the day before Saturday’s game, so students did not have to decide among many tailgate opportunities, Katherine Gouner, RHA president of the East Laville dorm and mass communication sophomore, said.
The Pachyderm Punchout, in honor of the University of Alabama’s elephant mascot, took place behind East Laville Hall, which allowed the party to spread out down the road to McVoy Hall.
“It’s brought a lot of people out,” said Ginger Gibson, a political science freshman who lives in East Laville. The event gave people a reason to come together and hang out, Gibson said.
Boudreaux said RHA sent a broadcast e-mail to everyone who lives in residential halls inviting them and their friends.
The posters and e-mail spread the word, bringing out students from all residential halls on campus.
Candita Belona, an elementary education junior, said she came from class to the tailgate by herself, but she met up with a friend she had not seen in a long time.
“[The event] could be longer,” Belona said. People used the tailgate opportunity to meet up with friends, so two hours may not be long enough, Belona said.