Resident Life: Students carve pumpkin pots to prepare for Halloween

Residence hall students met outside the dorms to carve pumpkins and turn them into bio-degradable pots on Wednesday evening.

Miniature pumpkins were provided for students to carve, as well as the succulents that were to be planted inside the pumpkins afterward. 

Two finished pumpkins by Jaden Baugh and Tymber Irish, respectively. The pumpkin pots were part of an eco-friendly dorm event on Wednesday evening.

“The students can compost the pumpkins when they begin to go bad and plant the pumpkins outside,” Resident Assistant and event host, Jestine Lackner, said. “They’re biodegradable, so they could also just move the plant into a bigger pot and use the pumpkin as a starter.”

“I’ve never carved pumpkins before since my parents weren’t into it,” first-year computer science major, Alixandra Taylor, said. “This is definitely a new experience, and it’s been fun so far.”

Because carving pumpkins within the dorms is prohibited, Lacker said she wanted the residents to still be able to experience the traditional Halloween pastime while also putting a cute twist on the project. 

“I used to do it when I was younger so it makes me feel like a little kid again,” first-year environmental science major, Willey Dowler, said. “It’s also a good way to de-stress, especially around midterms.”

“It was a fun time hanging with friends and getting into the fall vibes,” said Armando Tapia. Tapia is a NIC soccer recruit living in the dorms.