Student organizations casts a spell during Winter Cruise

Once every winter, the D.P. Culp University Center floods with students to learn about different campus organizations for a magical day of fun and games.

With the recent release of “A Cursed Child” and “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” students who grew up reading J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books got to relive their childhood on stage, at the movie theater, and, on Wednesday, they relived it through booths and activities during Winter Cruise.

Organizations on campus have the opportunity to set up a booth with information about what they do with the fun of making it Harry Potter themed.

This year approximately 70 different booths were set up for the event. The event also featured fun interactive activities. The Psych club told visitors their patronus based on items they pick up, and participants organized a costume contest and caricature drawings.

Throughout the Culp Center, students meandered booth to booth wearing their house colors on their faces and on their sleeves.

Anna V, a junior, had her face painted the colors of her Hogwarts house.

“I’m a Hufflepuff because I’m kind and like food,” Anna said.

Buctainment, a student organization on campus that plans Winter Cruise every year, organizes various activities on campus during the year.

At the entrance to The Cave, students picked up a piece of paper, and as they visit the booths, visitors received signatures from members of organizations. Students with six signatures received a Harry Potter-themed ETSU t-shirt. Buctainment had over 100 papers returned to be entered to win various “Harry Pottter” prizes.

Megan Todd is a senior at ETSU and was on Buctainment’s Winter Cruise planning committee, which has been preparing for the event since November. Todd wanted everyone to be able to relive their childhood just a little bit throughout the day.

“I hope that students have just had a fun day and they can go around and learn more about organizations on campus, and I hope that the organizations have had a chance to release their creativity and have a fun day,” Todd said.