On Friday evening, the Rensselaer Union was filled with students enjoying many activities and events as part of the semesterly Union After Dark event. Performances were put on by clubs such as Juggling Club, Sheer Idiocy, the Eighth Wonder, Capoeira, and the Ballroom Dance Club. Music was provided by Joey Lucier, In Ashes, Dahaq Music, and Monsters in the Attic. Face painting, board games, and caricaturization took place throughout the Union. Candy—both normal and cotton—popcorn, and pizza found their ways into the digestive tracts of many event attendees. Other clubs, namely UPAC Lights and UPAC Sound, played supporting roles in the festivities.
One of the most anticipated events on the schedule was the Vermonster Challenge. Although I was photographing the competition instead of stuffing my face with copious amounts of ice cream, I had a blast walking among the teams and capturing their seemingly inhuman feats of consumption. My camera and I became unwitting participants in the carnage unfolding on the floor of the McNeil room as chunks of half-chocolate, half-vanilla ice cream flew considerable distances through the air and landed on my lens and shirt. The winning team consumed an entire Vermonster, or 20 scoops of ice cream, in one minute and 59 seconds.
Union After Dark was a wonderful showcase of what makes Rensselaer unique. A variety of student-run clubs and groups had an opportunity to perform for the community. Keep an eye out for the next one for pure Friday night entertainment.