By Lara Becker
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Are you ready, kids?
Kelp shakes, bubbles, krabby patties and surfing transformed Green Lawn into a “Spongebob” fever dream on Sept. 23.
As the first CUB-sponsored Nooner of the semester, the organization pulled out all the stops to transport students to Bikini Bottom.
An inflatable ride with a mechanical surfboard kept students occupied as they tried to stay figuratively afloat for as long as possible. Nearby were gigantic bubble makers that made for hydro-electric-looking Instagram posts.
Also in store for participating students were disguised hamburgers and soda made to look like Krabby Patties and Kelp Shakes to make students feel like they were at Goo Lagoon.
The event’s organizer, junior elementary education and psychology dual major Julie Hyun, also hooked up her Spotify to a speaker to blast Spongebob’s themed music around campus, taking students away to an underwater paradise.
“I thought, ‘what makes me happy?’ And I realized bubbles — bubbles make me happy,” Hyun said. “And then ‘Goo Lagooner’ rhymed so well with Nooner, so I thought, 'we have to do this, let’s get this done.'”
Like many college students, Hyun grew up with “Spongebob” as a staple in her childhood. Importing the memories into the College’s campus felt just like home.
“'Spongebob' is what I grew up with, so I appreciate all the references,” Hyun said.
To make the creation into a reality, Hyun conceptualized ideas that aligned with the CUB budget and the norm of the standards for Nooners.
“A lot of the time, our Nooners are just things that we regularly do,” Hyun said. “We usually have activities like inflatables, and this time, we wanted something more interactive.”
In discussing the process for securing all of the materials, Hyun explained the importance of Googling what the best prices are and reaching out to the best rated vendors.
“All of the other inflatable surfboards looked really sketchy, but this one was nice and it had a wave,” Hyun said.
Other attendants agreed that the celebration of the “Spongebob” themes reminded them of simpler times and brought a fun aspect to their Monday afternoon.
“I loved it,” said Meimounah Sherif, a sophomore sociology major. “I think it brought out the inner child in everyone.”
In thinking about what the organization would want for future events, sophomore nursing major and CUB member Andi Aggarao thought back to last semester’s Nooners where students came out and had a great time.
CUB has also been advertising frequently on its social media for people to apply to join. The organization is hopeful to bring in candidates who can brainstorm ideas for on-campus events.
“I love being creative,” Hyun said. “That’s the main reason I wanted to join CUB because you’re just coming up with new ideas and new concepts.”
In a space where students can often feel stressed and overwhelmed by the demands of college life, Goo Lagooner was a breath of fresh air for students to take a break from the library to return to the pineapple under the sea of their childhoods.
“I just love CUB Nooners in general, because they’re a time to get your head out of being a college student with work 24/7,” Aggarao said.
