University of Kentucky students spent a night roller skating during Cosmic Roller Skating, an event hosted by the Student Activities Board at the Gatton Student Center.
Held on Thursday, March 6, the SAB co-director for campus life, Charles Petty III, said the event gave students a chance to take a break, have fun and easily participate in something that is typically expensive.
“As students, we get trapped in the idea of going to school to go to classes, to study, to do all these things,” Petty said.
According to Petty, the event served as a way to get out and meet new people and take a step back from school stress.
Emma Grace Hague, the president of SAB and a public health senior, said she enjoys seeing how events, such as Cosmic Roller Skating, brings joy to people.
“It’s a really fun time because roller skating is an expensive hobby to just have on the side,” Hague said. “I cannot roller skate well, but it was fun to get out there with friends and kind of fall down together.”
Hague said the event helped students step away from the stress of schoolwork and enjoy something fun on campus.
“Being a part of UK’s campus is more than just school, it’s more than just the homework, it’s more than the tests you take,” Hague said. “It’s the experiences that you have, and I hope that students walk away from this event with an experience under their belt and something to look back fondly on.”
Lauren Salladino, the vice president of internal affairs for SAB and a business and organizational communication junior, said the goal of the event was to provide a space for students to relax and take a break from school work.
“Especially right now during midterms, this is a super fun event for attendees to come hang out with friends and just get a break in their study night, especially when it is such a stressful time,” Salladino said. “And leading up to spring break, it just gets the fun and excitement going.”
Marianne Smith, an English and pre-law freshman, said the event was nostalgic and reminded her of roller skating with her family when she was younger.
According to Smith, the event gave her and her friend a chance to step out of their dorms.
“. . .I’m a person that tends to want to stay inside my dorm room and just study,” Smith said. “So it’s really great that we’re able to get out to these different events.”
Nathan Quenemoen, a freshman marketing major, said he roller skated for the first time at the event. Quencmoen said he liked how friendly and encouraging everyone was toward the people who were unfamiliar with roller skating.
“During midterms, I’ll isolate myself because it’s exams,” Quencmoen said. “This was what I needed.”
Isabella Dankert, a freshman nursing major, said she is familiar with rollerblading, having done it a lot growing up. Dankert said she enjoyed that people were happy and having fun, even if someone fell.
“It’s just good for people to take a break and just realize that, yes, midterms are coming up and exams are tough,” Dankert said. “But everyone just needs to go out and do something fun (and) take their mind off the school stress.”
