The first bingo night of the spring semester was especially unique because it’s been at least a year since a bingo night was held somewhere other than the Navesink rooms in the SLC, but on Wednesday, Feb. 5, “Bingo” was shouted in the Collins Arena.

For this Math Department-sponsored bingo roughly 40 tables were laid out in the courtyard usually used for Brookdale’s indoor sports. All the tablecloths were red, the napkins pictured candy hearts, and there were Valentine’s Day desserts.

Moving bingo back to the arena (Bingo nights were originally hosted there before moving to the Navesink rooms) solved several issues. With so much more space, students felt more comfortable. This in turn resulted in less of the chaos that traditionally comes with the game, and decreased the volume.

However, the space also had some setbacks. It took longer for students to head to the prize or food tables, which slowed down the games. The majority of students couldn’t even see the prizes they were competing for.

On each table, there was a paper explaining the rules. On the paper, there was also a QR code that linked to a form asking players about their experience at this bingo. In an interview last year with the Student Life & Activities president, he commented that the board wanted to get more student feedback.

Student Life & Activities has been significantly more active in planning events throughout campus. Last semester, aside from the themed bingo games, there were plenty of unique festivities that students were invited to, including the first bonfire last fall. (The bonfire was a point of contention for the board, however. Some Student Life Board members wanted bonfires to happen at the start of each semester, but others felt once a year was more appropriate.)

Aside from games slowing down and students not being able to see the prizes, the last problem with bingo night at the arena was the lack of energy. The bingo games have been known to be chaotic and extremely loud in the Navesink rooms, but that energy was noticeable absent at the arena.

The greater distance between tables and the echo within the tall room had a psychological effect on the students. The volume was a lot lower and there students paid more attention to the bingo sheets in front of them. The competitive nature of bingo was severely blunted, ironic considering where this bingo was located.

On the other hand, there was at least one table that carried this competitive energy. Every other prize was won by a member of the table, and they answered several of the trivia questions correctly. The table was made up of a group with members of Brookdale’s women’s sports, including the soccer, volleyball, and basketball teams.