After 2 years of smaller scaled events and even no Hollybash, Rowan University put the Holly in Hollybash with an extraordinary event this year. Out of all the years I’ve attended Rowan University, this year was by far one of the best I’ve attended. Some fan-favorite activities made their return, along with some new editions added to the festivities. Here were some of the best moments to keep an eye out for at next year’s Hollybash.

Ziplines

If you’re an adrenaline junkie like myself, then this is an activity you would particularly enjoy. Ziplines were featured at Hollybash in previous years and returned after popular demand. Ziplining felt like I was on cloud nine and I could take a breath of fresh air. However be sure to come early next time, because, as the day progressed, the lines and the wait times increased as well.

Rock Climbing

If you’re ready for an adventure and ready to climb towards the sky then this activity has your name on it. Even though I didn’t get that far off the ground, due to my lack of upper body strength, I still had a blast. It’s one of the activities that I haven’t seen at Hollybash in prior years, but one of the most memorable events out of all the festivities. I couldn’t stop laughing at myself.

Carnival Rides & Prizes

Nothing screams festival like a good carnival game of trying to get the basketball inside the hoops. However, my game is the water game, where you aim the water gun and try to get the light all the way to the top. I won some prizes — the Unicorn plush and my little pony type of pillows. However, basketball had the most draw, but with my aim, I was not able to win the prize.

Food

After all the exuberating activities it was time to take a break with some mouthwatering options from the food trucks. Students were given $10 in tickets to redeem at various food trucks. Chicken and waffles, pulled pork sandwiches, Mexican food serenaded with a lovely conclusion of water ice and ice cream. It was a relief to have some downtime, enjoy all the amazing student bands and chill out on the lawn.

Concert Time

The time finally came to get my front row seats to see Yung Joc and Noah Cyrus. Even though the artists had two completely different styles of music, they worked beautifully. It felt like we were back in the ’90s/2000s with Yung Joc. He was more interactive as he invited a few of the students to come on stage and compete in a dancing competition.

Noah Cyrus gave the students a completely different experience. Her lyrics fed the souls of the crowd that attended, her music and melody really hit on those internal struggles that every student faces. Whether it’s cheating, feeling insecure, love, or heartbreak. When she came up to the mic, it felt like she was holding my hand to let me know everything would be okay. She moved so many students that they used Snapchat to write personal messages to her and you could see she was reading them.

Just when you thought the night couldn’t get any better, the Rowan community gathered to help one student crowd surf. Noah Cyrus was so amazed by this, that we just had to get this student up to the front and to the stage to meet her.

As the night concluded and Noah Cyrus sang her final song I reflected for a moment and thought to myself what an amazing way to end my senior year here at Rowan. It was definitely a day to remember.

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