The MCC provides a mix of culture and festive spirit to students
Photo Courtesy of Mickey Benway
From 5-7 p.m. on Oct. 26, SUNY Geneseo’s Campus Activities Board hosted a Halloween event in the Multicultural Center (MCC).
The MCC was covered in a wide range of Halloween decorations, from plastic skeletons to foam tombstones. It also had many extra tables and seating so that anyone who wished to participate in the events could do so without having to worry about space; and good thing they did, because students were constantly moving in and out of the MCC throughout the event, filling up most of the seating.
One of the most prominent activities that students were invited to take part in was the Halloween tote bag painting. Students were able to grab a mini tote bag, a palette, paint, and paintbrushes to customize their bags however they wanted to. Most were inspired by the Halloween spirit to decorate their bags with spooky designs; pumpkins, spiders, and ghosts were painted onto many people’s bags. But of course—thanks to the extremely wide variety of paint colors—many other students decided to paint their bags in any way that they wanted, expressing their creativity in their own way.
Another creative activity that was offered to students was bracelet making; a large array of beads and charms were available for anyone who wanted to make themselves or a friend a custom piece of jewelry. Much like the tote bags, many designed their bracelets with Halloween colors like purples, oranges, and greens, which allowed students to show their festive spirit through their custom bracelets.
Students were also able to get their hands and arms professionally adorned with henna. This allowed the festive event to also continue introducing aspects of different cultures to students, as the MCC so often does. For those unaware, henna is another name for the plant “lawsonia inermis,” which is commonly used for dye; the plant is used in combination with a variety of liquids in order to create a consistency capable of being used to draw on skin. The practice appears in many different cultures throughout history, and continues to be used in both “religious and ceremonial celebrations” to this day.
The business present at the MCC was Henna Rising, with artist and owner Robin Jaeckel sitting at a table to allow students to choose from a wide selection of designs for themselves. Available designs ranged from more traditional Henna designs, including vines, flowers, suns, moons, and intricate patterns to more festive designs, including my favorite—a pumpkin which was surrounded by beautiful vines.
Of course, students were invited to take part in the many activities which the MCC always has to offer. Students playing pool, table tennis, chess, games on the tv, or studying at the tables added to the relaxed atmosphere that the event provided.
The MCC has many more activities planned past Halloween weekend, including a movie night with free food and short discussion planned for Nov. 9, according to the Multicultural Center’s Instagram page; to stay up to date with the MCC’s events as the semester continues, make sure to follow their Instagram page and keep watch of the SUNY Geneseo Events Calendar.
Have a happy Halloween!