As the disc jockey used his turntables to crank out the music, students danced and played games at the ultimate mingle on Tuesday, Jan. 13.
The University Programming Board (UPB) hosted the event as a way to help students have some fun and interact with each other before it is time to hit the books.
As students played classic games like Connect Four and Checkers, other students danced to DJ Fisher’s work. He played everything from Migos to Beyoncé. As an alumnus of Francis Marion University (FMU), he says always tries to volunteer his services.
The students had similar reasons for coming to the ultimate mingle. Tylan McKinnon, a freshman psychology major, and Alishia Neal-Burner, a freshman graphic design major, came out just to have fun.
“I came to meet new friends, get out, and try not to be a loner,” McKinnon said.
The students were not the only people to grace the dance floor. FMU’s dance team, Dimensions of Diversity, performed at the event. The team caught the students’ attention with their contemporary music and dance routine.
Two members of the team explained how they prepared for this. Breanna Minus, junior, business; and Diamond Greene, junior, psychology, explained that they performed at a half time show for a basketball game back in October.
The two say the UPB asked them to come out and perform for the ultimate mingle. They explained that it took a lot of hard work to be ready for the performance.
Latarsha Green, executive chair of the UPB, explained that before winter break the members of the UPB got into groups to figure out what event they wanted to do for the students to have fun and enjoy themselves.
“[I came] just to have fun,” Burner said. “Events like this are so we can meet new people and have fun.”
As for the students, they think the UPB should have spread the word a little better.
“They can use Tweets to inform the students, tell people at lunch or anything to spread the word early,” McKinnon said.
Others agreed that the event would have had a larger turnout if the UPB had informed the student body sooner.
“[They should] tell more people about it,” Burner said. “I only heard about the Mingle. I never saw a flyer. [They could use flyers to] let people know about it.”
Green said that the UPB would not be doing a lot of events this semester.
“This is our last official event until Spring Fest which will have a movie night and game night,” Green said. “It will be like [a] casino night and maybe [offer] games like ‘Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grade?”