This year’s Spring Fling proved markedly different from recent years with rainy weather, canceled student performances and outdoor activities moved indoors.
Although Friday’s activities and concert did not see rain, Saturday’s events — which normally consist of performances, carnival inflatables and food from local vendors throughout the Quadrangle and College Green — were canceled or moved indoors.
During the day, the Quad, which is normally packed with students, saw a significantly lower student turnout.
Despite the rain, College sophomore and SPEC Spring Fling co-director Josh Oppenheimer said he “was impressed that friends of the performers came out to support their friends.”
Around 3 p.m., food vendors, inflatables and the two stages were shut down due to electrical concerns, Oppenheimer said. Only the Chi Omega Dunk Tank — which did not require electricity — remained open.
Nursing sophomore and Chi Omega Philanthropy Co-Chairwoman Christina Martindale was disappointed by the weather and its effect on her sorority’s annual fundraiser, which raises money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t even half as successful as last year,” she said.
Martindale added, however, that she was happy that the students who volunteered to get dunked “were extremely enthusiastic” and brought their friends along.
The Mask & Wig Club — known for their memorable annual Fling act which consists of senior members of the club stripping for the audience — were forced to cancel their afternoon performance in the Quad.
College junior and Mask & Wig Band Leader Wolete Moko said that the canceled performance “rained on [his] parade, so to speak.”
“It was definitely a big bummer … [for] this great Penn tradition,” Moko said, adding that “it was definitely understandable considering what the weather was.”
The annual College Green Carnival on Saturday night, which offered free food from vendors including Rita’s Water Ice and Chipotle, was relocated to Houston Hall.
Oppenheimer thought that Saturday went well in light of the circumstances.
“Of course I’m disappointed, but we rolled with the punches,” he said.
Many students agreed, citing the weather as a letdown but not something to ruin Fling.
“It was still fun. The weather didn’t affect me too much,” Wharton freshman Danielle Plattus said of her first Fling.
“Obviously, I wished the weather was better, [but] you got to make the most of every situation,” she added.
College junior Karla Molina agreed that “despite the weather, Penn students [were] very resilient … blowing off steam before finals.”
Wharton senior Sophia Molinas thought that the weather during her last Fling made it “hard to get in the mood and the spirit of Fling.”
She added that it was “definitely different but still good.”
Others thought the rainy weather even brought a positive change to usual Fling activities.
“I thought the rain was the best thing to happen to Fling,” College sophomore Alexandra Cole said.
On Saturday, she noted “the entire campus and the weather was completely hungover,” so many people stayed inside.
“It made it a lot more [of an] intimate kind of gathering [because] a lot of people just hung out with their friends inside,” Cole said.
It was “probably one of my best memories at Penn,” she added.
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