Sarah Oulman
The end of the fall semester at Florida Southern means that Winter Wonderland and other holiday-themed campus events give students a chance to take a break from studying and enjoy the holiday season.
FSC’s annual Winter Wonderland event will be held on Dec. 5 from 8-10 p.m. on Mr. George’s Green and the Bandshell lawn.
The holiday event, which is hosted by the Center for Student Involvement and Community Living, takes place at the end of each fall semester to mark the beginning of the holiday season and bring a piece of winter to FSC’s campus.
“The event will feature a snow slide, DIY crafts, stuff-a-plushes, holiday cookies, a fire pit and much more, including some new surprises,” Director of Student Involvement Jacqueline Inskeep said prior to the event.
Together, the Center for Student Involvement and Community Living team up every year to create a fun, winter-themed event to provide students and faculty with a chance to celebrate the season, despite the lack of traditional winter weather in Florida. In the past, the annual tradition has also included a tree lighting for students to watch and ring in the end of the semester.
This unique campus tradition was designed to bring the FSC community together to celebrate the holiday season. Students are also encouraged to break out their ugly Christmas sweaters and join in on the fun before finals.
“All of my friends and I always look forward to whatever Winter Wonderland has to offer,” junior Caelus McKeel said. “We love going to the green and spending time together making crafts and taking photos with the tree. For us, the event is an annual way to make memories with everyone.”
This year’s Winter Wonderland event also features a special appearance from Santa, plenty of snacks and arts and crafts opportunities for students.
The annual Christmas Gala will be held on Dec. 7 and Beta Alpha Psi’s Holiday Extravaganza at the Lakeland Ice Arena is open to all students and families on Dec. 8. More information on these events and other ways to get involved within the FSC community for the holidays can be found on Engage.
