Get ready for a week full of fun (and potentially of green slime)! Springfest is an annual, week-long competition for UIS students sponsored by the Student Activities Committee (SAC). Students can form a team with up to 14 members. Each team comes up with a unique name and designs a flag as their symbol. Each year, SAC comes up with a theme that the events and team names are meant to be centered around. This year’s theme is Nickelodeon. Springfest is easily one of the most highly anticipated events of the school year for UIS students and for good reason.

The competition traditionally lasts over the course of six days, Monday to Saturday. There is a type of competition for everyone, no matter their skill set. It all kicks off with a group scavenger hunt on Monday evening. Teams will complete outlandish and silly tasks, answer questions regarding UIS culture and more. Each task completed is worth a designated amount of points and this will determine which teams are in the lead. Tuesday night is Trivia Night, where students will have the opportunity to exercise their Nickelodeon knowledge. Springfest would not be complete without giving students a chance to show off their creativity by allowing students to compete in a flag and chant competition. In addition to the flags, students will also have the chance to prepare a unique chant that embodies their team and perform it in front of judges. Thursday night, students will have the opportunity to give back to their community by participating in a volunteer service project, giving Springfest an added layer of purpose. Springfest will end with short and long Sports Days on Friday and Saturday. Any UIS student, whether academically-gifted, athletically-inclined or just searching for a good time, will find something to enjoy by participating in Springfest. This reporter has competed in Springfest for the past two years, and even won the Spirit Award last year, and I can whole-heartedly say that I look forward to this event every year.

For students who have not had an opportunity to sign up, SAC has decided to extend this year’s sign up deadline to this Friday, March 8. The dates for this year’s Springfest will be Monday, April 15 to Saturday, April 20. The Observer strongly encourages all students, new and old alike, to take a chance on participating in Springfest this year. It is truly one of the best events UIS has to offer and SAC does an amazing job organizing this event every year.

For more information, follow the Student Activities Committee on Instagram @uis_sac or follow up with upcoming events hosted by SAC on UIS Connection.