By Shane McAdams

Finals time is one of the most stress filled and tense times of the year around college campuses across the country. Students are stressed out, trying to raise grades, and pass classes. With final exams, papers, and project’s looming, it’s not uncommon for students to feel stretched to their limit. Students on campus are filling the student success center, library, and other classrooms to hit the books. However, with students being so stressed and studying so hard, many of them also welcome any kind of break in the monotony of studying. This is where Cram Jam comes into play. 

Cram Jam is an event put on by Student Engagement and Residence Life every year to help students cope with the rigors of finals time. This year however Cram Jam was even bigger than years past. 

In years past, Cram Jam was simply a little table in the student success center where students could get coffee or hot chocolate and some small snacks. This is a far cry from the Cram Jam of the present.

This year for Cram Jam, the student engagement department and residence life went all out. Residence life reserved the cafeteria for this years Cram Jam. Not only did they reserve the cafeteria but they also decorated for a Christmas theme complete with snow flake decorations and glitter on the tables. 

Along with the decorations, there was also food provided for the event courtesy of Chartwells. The theme of the food was breakfast for dinner. With pancakes, eggs, sausage, and tater tots being served during the event. 

One of the main attractions for the event was the bingo games as well as the raffle for students. There were also other games and activities that students could participate in like ping pong ball toss, cookie decorating, ornament decoration, and paraffin wax hand dunks. These activities were prepared to give students a chance to unwind and get their minds off of finals. 

One of the big draws for students was the bingo and raffle ticket games. During these games students played bingo with the winners receiving presents from Santa Claus. These gifts ranged from gift cards to places like Starbucks, sweets and candy’s, s’more making kits, to perfume for women and cologne for men. 

With prizes on the line, students were ready for their chance to win. However it wasn’t just a handful of prizes that were handed out to students. Between the bingo, raffle, and other side games there were over 100 presents handed out to students at this years cram jam. There were 65 large wrapped presents that were won by students during bingo and the raffle. As well as another 40 presents that were handed out at random by Saint Nick.

 Many students received gifts, among them was sophomore Hannah Hormon. Hormon received her gift from the bingo game.

 “It was nice to enjoy a stress free break from studying with your friends during the most stressful time of the year. I’m really glad I went. I also did the wax hands thing and made an ornament, it was a really fun experience,” Hormon said.

 One of the many people that helped to put on this years Cram Jam was residence assistant Genesis Torrens. 

“Honestly through my four years of being a student here, it was by far the best Cram Jam we have ever had. With the involvement of all the staff members at each station and the number of students that came out tonight, this event really brought us together in great Christmas spirit and helped us to have a fun break and entrance into finals week,” Torrens said. 

With finals week on Monday December 10th, campus activities will be winding down for the semester, however they will pick right back up for the second semester starting in January. 

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