The Daily Gamecock

State Fair 'College Day' a time-honored tradition

I walked into the South Carolina State Fair and was bombarded by the sights of flashing lights and the smell of various fried foods. As a I maneuvered my way through the crowds of college students, I saw many taking full advantage of "College Day."

Upon entry to the fair, photographers took group photos at the entrance and handed a voucher to visitors for claiming their photos at the photo booth. There were quite a few people there, all wanting a quality photo to remember their trip to the fair. 

Fair time is one of the only times people can get their hands on the infamous doughnut burger, and as a result, the line extended back past multiple vendors. Others enjoyed standard fair favorites such as funnel cakes, fried Oreos and unusually-long corn dogs. 

"I went with my friends, and we ate a lot of food even though it was kind of expensive," first-year pre-business student Kaitlyn Spring said. "But it was definitely worth it. I love fair food."

Many took their shots at winning a stuffed animal prize with the variety of games offered. Some shot basketball hoops, some tried their luck with balloon darts, and some went for the ring toss. While there were many who walked away disappointed, others proudly carried their stuffed animals through the fair. 

Along with the iconic Ferris wheel, the fair offered a wide array of rides for the visitors. Plenty stood in line for the mega drop and others waited for one of the fair's newest rides, the Bullettrain roller coaster. 

"We went on the Ferris wheel, and we got to see campus from up high ... it was really cool," Spring said. 

As I walked out of the gates of the fair, I looked back at the twinkling lights and watched as the Ferris wheel came to a stop for the final time that night. 


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