Students got into the Halloween spirit Thursday night in the Russell House Ballroom by carving pumpkins. Hosted by Carolina Productions, the event featured food, music and more orange than a Carolina fan can usually stand.
Some students were completely in Halloween mode. First-year hospitality management student Tori Creekmore said she usually carves ghosts and witches into her pumpkins. However, this year she was considering carving a Pikachu to match the full Pikachu outfit she was wearing at the event.
International students also joined in on the festivities. International student, Mavi Bianchini, from Italy, carved a bat into her pumpkin.
Carolina Productions' Daytime Events Coordinator, Corey Johnson, said, "We're just hoping to get some people de-stressed. We know with fall break being a little later students were kinda bogged down. So maybe coming back you have a couple exams but maybe something relaxing. Carving pumpkins with friends, having some snacks, just coming to relax," he said.
First-year business student Sophia Gribbs chose to paint her pumpkin instead of carving it. Citing not being very artsy and a friend’s carving accident last year, she hopes it will last longer and won’t smell as bad.
Alex Ribeiro hoped to carve a character from popular PC game League of Legends. His backup plan if that didn’t work out was “just a face.” Dalton Newbold also embraced the video game idea by carving Mario into his pumpkin.
Early childhood education student Winifer Mercado said, "I was going to put purple, but then I saw that purple and orange was going to be Clemson and I decided we can't do that.” Next year she plans on fully embracing the South Carolina spirit and carving a gamecock into her pumpkin.
First year nursing student Will Prosser, carved Chris from the Youtube series Hellbenders. Kappa Kappa Gamma member and athletic training student Emily Gigantino carved a pumpkin for her big.
While students' carvings were all of contemporary subject matter, the tradition of carving is much older than many realize. In fact, the tradition didn't even start with pumpkins at all but with turnips. According to Irish folk legend, a man named Stingy Jack, who is forced to spend eternity wandering the earth, has nothing but a lit coal to light his way. After he put the coal in a carved out turnip and became known as Jack of the Lantern, or simply Jack O’Lantern, the Irish and Scottish made their own versions to scare off evil spirits.
When Irish and Scottish immigrants came to America they brought the tradition and legend behind it with them. After discovering America’s native pumpkin, they fused the two together and modern pumpkin carving was born.
Carolina Productions had more intentions of fun than warding off evil sprits when they planned the event. Johnson said, "It's a really cool event and we're hoping we could maybe do it next year."