Students who are looking for a little fun at OCCC, as they kick off the second eight-week term of the semester, shouldn’t miss the Welcome Back Event Monday through Thursday, Oct. 19 -22 in the Main Building.

During those days, students can show off their art skills, play carnival-style games, and have a chance at winning a prize many would be envious of.

“We want to kick off the second 8 – week term with some fun activities for students. We know students will be on campus, and we want to provide an opportunity for engagement and a chance to relax and have some fun,” Student Life Director Cody Garrison said.

Monday will be the most active day of the four-day celebration, Garrison said.

Near the bottom of the main staircase and adjacent to the bookstore, students can play a guess-the-amount-of-candy game, in which they’ll guess how many pieces of colorful candy corn are in a jar.  The winner will take home a Halloween-theme prize package, which is a glass skull head container holding a Halloween movie, popcorn, candy, soda, coffee mug, and hot chocolate/hot cider.

They’ll also play a pop-shot basketball competition for a $50 gift card to the OCCC Bookstore, and play a corn-hole contest against Student Life staff for prizes. Students are also encouraged to spin a wheel and take home gifts.

Perhaps one of the most spectacular events planned is a collaborative art project, which all students are encouraged to participate in, Garrison said.

Kristi Fields, Student Life coordinator, said Student Life has purchased several canvasses and has taped portions of the painting surfaces off into geometric shapes.

All students who participate will be given cotton swabs to use as paintbrushes, and multiple colors of paint will be provided.

“Students can draw whatever they want and even sign it. And once that’s done, we plan on hanging [the canvasses] up in our office area,” Fields said. “I’m really excited to see how it turns out.

“That’s something we want to keep up so students, after they graduate, can come back and bring their friends and show off their mark they left on campus,” Garrison said.

Garrison said he hopes many students will come to several days of the welcome-back event.

He said he wants students to come to learn more about Student Life and to gain more information about clubs and organizations, campus events, Student Government, employment services, and Civic Honors.

“We want to let [students] know that we’re still here,” he said.  “We also want to give students an opportunity to get engaged, and leave their mark” of creativity in the collaborative mural project.

Clubs and organizations have been invited to host information tables Tuesday through Thursday in the Main Building Hallway, so students can visit with the clubs and get more information about joining, Fields said.

Also, OCCC Recreation and Fitness, Upward Bound and Student Support Services will be engaging students with events of their own, Garrison said.

For more information, contact the office of Student Life at  (405) 682-7523 |studentlife@occc.edu or by visiting https://www.occc.edu/studentlife/