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What sort of wacky things go on in East River Hall?

Emily Sears

December 9, 2011

When you think of dorm life, do you think of reruns of Glee, burnt EasyMac, homemade flashcards, instant coffee, overflowing laundry hampers, and silent stare-downs with your roommate?

Or, do you think about YouTube challenges, unicycling, Christmas decorations, family dinners, dance parties, cinnamon contests, British accents, and nudity?

Residents of East River Hall are constantly finding ways to have fun, and the community of residents is making the dorm feel like family.

	RHD Erin Darnell attempting the cinnamon challenge

 “As Resident Hall Director (RHD), I take great joy in watching my residents become more like a family,” said Erin Darnell, a senior from Orange, Va., who became RHD at the beginning of this school year. “The most rewarding part of my job is listening to my residents and building relationships with them.”

Sometimes, building relationships means taking a cinnamon challenge with residents in the second-floor hallway. The cinnamon challenge involves eating a spoonful of cinnamon without drinking water or spitting it out.

“Your mouth becomes paralyzed from being so dry,” said John “Big John” Bergner, a junior from Mooresville, N.C. “It was so great, and I can’t wait to do other challenges over at ERH.”

Students who participated in the cinnamon challenge include Lydia Freeman, Taylor Hughes, Foster Ashley, Erin Darnell, Bethany Liddle, Emily Sears, Kiara Honore, and Bergner.

No one completed it successfully.

Other dormitory events include unicycling, a popular pastime for residents after purchasing unicycles from thrift stores.

 “I bought a unicycle after experiencing the awesome influence of Lydia [Freeman],” said Sarah Mason, a sophomore from Lakewood, Ohio. “After she bought a unicycle, I knew I had to have one, too. It has led to numerous nights of fun.”

Multiple residents have attempted to ride the unicycle, but it is a challenging feat.

“It’s all about your quads and your core,” said Lydia Freeman, a junior from Bristol, Va. “It takes a lot of practice, balance, and determination.”

With so much fun and bonding happening in ERH, it’s easy to understand why many residents will describe their dorm friends as their closest friends. Living together, eating together, pulling all-nighters together, and other random acts of fun are what make BC memories.

 “When I give tours of the campus for Student Ambassadors, prospective students ask me what there is to do at such a small school,” said Celia Jones, a senior from Brookneal, Va. “I tell them I don’t even know where to begin. The people are what make Bluefield.”

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