Potatoes. Baked potatoes, toasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, cheesy potatoes, potato chips, hot potatoes. Potatoes are a staple in most households, and at BC, there’s an entire event about them.
The 5th Annual Spud Olympics will be happening next week, Monday, May 21, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Student Programs, C212. Everybody’s invited for an afternoon of potato games and a potato buffet.
The potato-themed games are called Facial Chips, Discus Throwing, Target Potatoes, Potato Word Search and, of course, Hot Potato. There may also be potato trivia.
Potato Word Search will be, as its name suggests, a word search with only potato-related words. Target Potatoes will be a test of aim in which contestants throw potatoes at a target. Facial Chips involves contestants balancing a chip on their face and trying to keep it there. Hot potato, of course, everyone is familiar with – the potato version of musical chairs.
“We have a baked potato buffet, where you can make your very own personalized toppings for your baked potato,” said Divya Nair of Peer to Peer, the sponsors of the event. The potato buffet is a big crowd-pleaser every year; the potato is an incredibly versatile food that can taste great with or without toppings.
The Spud Olympics began five years ago. “Nora and Jenny (one of the precious social coordinators) came up with the idea five years ago,” said Nair. “They wanted something fun, but at the same time, not so expensive.”
Nair is speaking of Nora Lance, the faculty advisor for Peer to Peer and Student Programs, and a student named Jenny Lina who worked for Peer to Peer.
Peer to Peer is the sponsor of this event, as they sponser many events that happen all the time on campus. They host the popular monthly Ice Cream Social, but they do more than that – they are also the ones who call new students to welcome them, the volunteers at New Student Orientations and the volunteers at campus events for clubs, programs and departments.
Their Bellevue College Program page says, “Peer to Peer is designed to provide an environment where students are empowered to create opportunities meant to enhance their learning beyond the classroom, develop their personal leadership style and build a strong foundation for success in life after college.”
Peer to Peer is only half of the equation – the other half is Tiered Mentoring, the drop-in tutors in Student Programs. Anyone interested in helping Peer to Peer or Tiered Mentoring is encouraged to check out their Facebook page.
The Spud Olympics will happen on Monday in Student Programs. Any student who has an affinity for potatoes would enjoy this event.