St. John’s University kicked off the fall season with its annual Fall Fest on Oct. 6 at the Residence Village. The event, hosted by St. John’s Office of Residence Life, Resident Student Association and Student Wellness Center featured autumn activities and giveaways in an attempt to get resident students engaged on campus.

Educational resources promoting alcohol awareness were available at Student Wellness Center-ran tables. These resources aimed to encourage responsible decision-making by providing information on the effects of alcohol consumption. They also offered strategies for managing social situations involving alcohol.

Resident Assistant Andrew Giordano, a junior government and politics major, highlighted the event’s dual purpose, noting both the enjoyment and educational aspects.

“It’s all about relaxing and hanging out with fellow residents,” Giordano said. “But it’s also about educating students on alcohol awareness, like ‘what is too much to drink and how to stay safe while drinking.’ We know that Halloween can be a fun time, and we want to make sure everyone stays safe.”

Darya Mason, a junior finance major, worked the event with the Student Wellness Center and highlighted the importance of addressing alcohol-related risks during this time of year.

“Alcohol dangers are at a high during the fall semester,” Mason said. “This event allows students to learn in an engaging way rather than to just have information dumped on them.”

“As RA’s, it’s important for us to keep it engaging and maintain student retention while on campus, especially within the first two months,” said Sydnee Watt, a senior criminal justice major and Resident Assistant. “It’s very common for freshman students to feel a sense of homesickness if they don’t see active things happening on campus during that time.”

The festival offered a variety of snacks to attendees, including donuts from Duck Donuts, apple cider and a make-your-own popcorn station. Attendees also enjoyed outdoor games such as giant Connect Four and cornhole.

Sophomore marketing major Sydney Whitehall expressed how she believes events like this have benefited her personal experience on campus.

“You get to meet people on campus, especially people in RA positions or other people in authority,” Whitehall said. “I feel like that helps make the school community much more inclusive.”

Mason agreed, pointing out that the event brings people together while also providing an opportunity to address a crucial topic.

“It is a nice way for our campus community to get involved and come together,” said Mason. “We also know that some students may partake in alcohol consumption, and with this event, we just wanted to push out any awareness we can about the dangers students could potentially face.”