By PATRICK DRISCOLL
Staff Writer
TP the Tree is an annual event held at Saint Rose to kick off Halloween put on by Student Association. The Halloween event is one of the major events of the semester planned by Alex Wheeler, the director of social activities for the Student Association.
The event involves throwing toilet paper at the big tree on the quad. TP the Tree has secured its place as a tradition at Saint Rose because it’s another way for students to form bonds as a campus comunity. The event is opened to anyone from students to faculty.
As the event is happening, security supervises students to make sure nobody gets out of line. Some students just go to the event to watch and enjoy themselves and witness the Halloween spirit at Saint Rose. All of the area coordinators, those in charge of overseeing the resident assistants, attended the event. Some of the area coordinators experienced TP the Tree for the first time.
“Saint Rose has a lot of events for students. I thought TP the Tree was one of the greatest events because it shows how the college likes to kick off Halloween,” said Brian Graham, a new area coordinator at the College.
The event is always held the evening prior to Halloween; this year it was a Friday. Students gathered on the quad at about 11:40 p.m. waiting to throw toilet paper at the big tree. The weather was cold at about 30 degrees but students bundled up for the event. Some students came in their costumes. The students were in many different types of costumes, such as zombies and “old timers.”
Students came with toilet paper to throw at the tree. Some students even bought their own toilet paper to throw, although the Student Association provided toilet paper. The throwing of the toilet paper began exactly at 12 midnight after a 10-second countdown.
As students were throwing toilet paper at the tree, other students were running under the tree to find leftover toilet paper. Students could be heard screaming and yelling because they were enjoying the event.
A casualty of the event and excitement was some students were getting hit in the head with toilet paper as it was coming down. A few students even used the toilet paper to dress themselves up as mummies.
“The event has not changed from previous years. The event has always been very consistent,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler, who is graduating in May, said he will miss TP the Tree because it’s a great event for students to form friendships. He couldn’t have done it with the help of his two committees. Those committees, the Harvest Fest and Rose Rock committees, worked alongside him to make the event possible.
“Alex is a great friend to be around,” said Tim King, director of academic activities for student association. “Alex worked so hard with the SA E-Board and his two committees to put on this marvelous event.”
At 9 a.m. on Halloween, Wheeler, along with his committee and many other people from the campus community, helped facilities to clean up the toilet paper that was left behind on the ground after the event.
“It was an amazing event,” said Ellen Praught, director of special interest groups for the student association. “So many people showed up to carry on a tradition that Saint Rose thrives off of. Alexander Wheeler is really stepping up this year.”
