From automobile vandalizing to wing eating contests, this year's Spirit Week celebration of school pride did its best to prepare students for Saturday's football game in the face of daunting midterms.
Monday's Car Cruncher was one of the most anticipated events to take place this week.
The ill-fated white sedan, which SA officials said was previously owned by UB's homecoming opponent, the Akron Zips, became the victim of student rage.
"It felt so good to release the stress of my midterms onto an inanimate object, especially one from Akron," said Rachel Berg, a junior health and human services major.
Onlookers also got into the spirit of the car smashing by cheering on friends who participated.
"Looking at what students did to that car is just a small preview to what our football team will do to the Zips this Saturday," said Giancarlo Alvarez, a senior business administration major.
Spirit Week's first event highlighted UB clubs with window painting and decorating in the Student Union through to Knox Hall. The Student Union was also the site for a club fair encouraging students to join the various on-campus student organizations.
On Wednesday, students participated in a four-hour-long jousting tournament, which started at noon. The event became another way to let out mid-semester anxiety, but this time onto fellow classmates.
"Jousting was by far the best event of the week, it was a great way to get into the spirit of homecoming and to solve problems you have with friends," said Carla Wiesner, a senior pharmacy major.
Students scaled to new heights at Wednesday's rock-climbing event. Participants gathered on the lawn in front of Clemens Hall as workers belayed them onto a wall.
"The rock wall was very popular with students this year, a lot of people participated," said SA Treasurer Mazin Kased.
Kased projected Thursday's wing-eating contest to be the most attended event of the week.
"There are always a lot of people who are interested in eating free wings and receiving prizes," said Kased.
Many students were excited to take part in the eating competition.
"I was in a chicken wing eating contest two weeks ago and lost. This time, it's on," said Daniel Bottega, a junior business administration major.
Saturday's game against the Zips will feature even more food at a tailgating party put on by SA.
"Getting pumped for the game while eating food should prove to be a fun time," said SA President Dela Yador.
According to Yador, the week will culminate with the homecoming coronation hosted by Napoleon Dynamite stars Jon Gries and Efren Ramirez.
All of this week's spirit will be put to use on Saturday as the UB Bulls take on the Akron Zips at 1:30 p.m.
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
