In sharp contrast to campus’ emptiness last weekend during the Ohio University vs. The Ohio State University football game, campus was bustling for OU’s Family Weekend, which took place Sept. 19 to Sept. 21.
Offices across campus worked together to create a weekend schedule packed with activities for visiting families to attend. On Friday, a commuter event kicked off programming. That evening, the Bobcat Family Welcome happened on College Green at 6 p.m. It featured refreshments and remarks from Vice President for Student Affairs Lyn Redington, Dean of Students Kathy Fahl and members of the Bobcat Family Council.
On Saturday, the morning started outside Nelson Court with a farmer’s market put together by Culinary Services and Dining. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., shoppers could purchase fresh, local produce, including pumpkins, tomatoes and cucumbers.
Starting at 11 a.m. in Baker University Center Ballroom, families gathered to play various card and board games at the Bobcat Family Game Fest. Holly Schumaker and her daughter, Katherine, a freshman studying chemistry pre-med, made their first stop of the weekend to play UNO. She said they also planned to stop by the farmer’s market and visit the College Book Store to buy a shirt.
Schumaker drove just over an hour to campus for the first visit since move in day. “Seeing all the other families out here is pretty incredible,” Shumaker said. “You never know, they could be close. They could be from states away.”
Sarah Scott, a sophomore from Lancaster studying marine biology, went to the football game on Saturday against Gardner-Webb. The football games are her favorite event to attend with her family. Although her parents have season tickets for the football team, Saturday was the first time this year her dad came down.
“(The best part is) just getting to see family, spend time with family,” Scott said. “It helps that I live not far from home, but I know, at least for my roommates, it's nice to see family and friends.”
The athletic events didn’t end with the football game; there was another opportunity for Bobcat fans to cheer for a team as the OHIO hockey team had a free 3v3 scrimmage in the Bird Arena on Saturday, and the women’s soccer team played the University of Akron on Sunday.
On both Saturday and Sunday, families had the opportunity to zip line at the Ridges on the new Outdoor Pursuits course for $15 per person. Bird Arena also held free recreational skating time after the hockey scrimmage.
For people wanting a good laugh, Fridays Live, OU’s sketch comedy show, had the premiere of its 55th season Friday night, and Sal Vulcano of the television show “Impractical Jokers” performed a comedy show Saturday at 8 p.m. in Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium. The Athena Cinema also showed “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday for $8 a ticket.
Sunday morning started to wrap up the university-organized events with Bingo & Bagels in Baker from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Families were still all over campus going into Sunday afternoon, though not everyone who came down was a family member.
Taylor Byrd, a junior studying psychology, got a visit from the family she nannies for. Nikki and Sean Thompson, along with their 6-year-old son Beau, got a tour of campus from Byrd. Bird Arena was the coolest thing she showed them, Beau Thompson said.
“This is the first time I've ever been on campus, and it's beautiful,” Nikki Thompson said. “To see where she goes and lives her life is amazing.”
Shumaker described family weekend as reconnection, Byrd said it was fulfilling and Scott summed it up as happy.
But the best part about family weekend? “Spending time with [Byrd],” Beau Thompson said.
