As the jumpers began to appear on the Cat Quad and the Mariposa Lawn on September 3rd, so did the excitement. The first Bobcat Bonanza was a night full of inflatable attractions sponsored by the Office of Student Life (OSL).
The event included a Zipline, a Basketball Racer, the Big Baller, and a Wrecking Ball. The Big Baller was a crowd favorite due to its popularity on the TV Show Wipeout. The purpose of the attraction was to get from one platform to another while trying not to fall off the big red inflatable balls.
I tried it, but sadly got hit in the face while learning a newfound respect for those on Wipeout.
However, this does not mean it was entirely unbeatable, first year student Caleb Moriarty completed. When asked how he did it he replied, “I didn’t even know how. I just kept reaching for the next one.” He said that the event was “awesome and the school needs to do more of it!”
The Zipline had a line that spanned from the Mariposa Lawn to the Tuolumne Dorm.
Anna Christopherson, a 3rd year student, stated that in terms of previous OSL events, “This [event] seems to follow in the footsteps of the fun programs they had last year. I really hope they include more bouncy things in the future.”
For those of you who are wondering if fun events (or perhaps, “bouncy things”) like this one will continue, according to Brian Acosta, a Student Activites and Events Intern, there will be more to look forward to. “The Office of Student Life holds events throughout the year,” Acosta says.
Anthony Ortiz
Staff Writer
aortiz29@ucmerced.edu