The Smith University Center (UC) was filled with friendly competition and the sounds of shuffling board game pieces on the evening of Nov. 12, as students gathered for ‘Game On!’ — a laid-back event coordinated by the Campus Activities Board (CAB) in collaboration with The Absolutely Outrageous Club of All Things Nerdy and Awesome, better known as TAOCATNA.
A welcome table near the entrance featured a wide selection of classic board and card games, ranging from Monopoly and Candyland to Exploding Kittens and Uno. Students filled the various tables across the room and indulged in the provided snacks and drinks as they played games and chatted with each other.
Francis Marion University students Isaiah Richards, Robert Robertson and Caleb Gary sat at one of the tables playing a card game.
“We’re playing blackjack—with no money involved,” said Richards, as the group laughed. “I didn’t feel like playing my PS5 tonight.”
“They forced me here,” said Gary, while the other two jokingly denied the accusation. “We’re just cracking jokes and having fun.”
At another table nearby, students Rayce Shird and Amaya Evans were playing a game of Monopoly.
“We didn’t even know about the game night. When we saw it, we came out to have fun,” said Shird. They continued to play, Shird exclaiming that he had just won another property. Evans laughed, noting that they were just having some quick fun.
“We’re here for a good time, not a long time,” said Evans.
Omar Perez, vice president of CAB, said the event was designed as an easygoing follow up to October’s large-scale “CarnEvil” celebration, since it was quite costly.
“We decided we wanted to do a board game night,” said Perez. “CarnEvil used up a lot of our resources and money, so this was a cheaper alternative.”
Perez made rounds throughout the evening, checking in with groups to make sure everyone was enjoying themselves. He explained that TAOCATNA provided the games, while CAB prepared the space and stocked the snacks.
“We just brought some stuff out of stock,” said Perez, referring to the snacks.
Kass Davenport, secretary of TAOCATNA, also spoke about his role in this event.
“I didn’t have much to do with the actual planning, but my job tonight was to check over the games, make sure everything runs smoothly, and honestly, just make sure people are having fun,” said Davenport.
By the end of the evening, more than 30 students were counted as the UC was full of shared laughs and snacks. This event highlighted the importance of unwinding at the end of a stressful semester.
As CAB looks ahead, Perez said they’re already planning future events and collaborations. “CAB tries to do something every month; we’re already planning for January,” he said.
Davenport emphasized supporting student groups and getting involved on campus. “Make sure to check out CAB and TAOCATNA!”
Students are advised to check the FMU calendar to stay up to date on upcoming events held by CAB and other student organizations. Student organization contact information can be found here on FMU’s website.