On Sept. 12, Residence Hall Council (RHC) hosted its first Movie Night in the McHale Athletic Center Gym (MAC). Movie night for RHC was described as a thrilling success even after being pushed inside due to the difficulties with rain.

RHC had originally planned the event on the greenway during the first few weeks in the semester. But due to weather, the movie was unfortunately rained out. RHC rescheduled for Sept. 12, but yet again, the weather forced the event to be moved indoors.

Residence Hall Council polled the entire student body earlier in that day to determine which movie would be shown at the event.

The movie choices ranged across all genres and ranged from newer movies to classical favorites. The movies that were voted upon included: “Bumblebee,” “The Nun,” “Baywatch,” “Escape Room,” “Central Intelligence,” “Halloween,” “Grease,” “How To Be Single,” “Aquaman” and “A Simple Favor.”  The majority of the students chose the 2018 horror film “The Nun.”

“The Nun” is a horror movie that is based in Romania during the 1950s. Members of the Catholic church are sent to investigate the suspicious suicide of a nun at an old monastery. The movie included several jumpscares that kept the student audience engaged. The screams and orchestra from the movie added suspense in the atmosphere and even scared several students.

All of the above films were pulled from Residence Life’s online movie channel. The channel is both free and accessible to all Wilkes University students at movies.wilkes.edu only when using the university’s WiFi.

The first 75 students to attend the event also received a complimentary Wilkes themed picnic blanket to lay with while watching the movie.

Thus, the lobby of UCOM was filled with students waiting for their free blanket. Once the giveaway was finished, everyone sprawled out on the floor of the gym for the duration of the movie.

Snacks were also provided to the students who attended the event.

“Ten out of ten would recommend,” Donald Ballou said, sophomore international studies major when asked how he thought the event went.

Catie Lally, sophomore English major, attended the event and recommends it to anyone considering the event in the future.

“More people should have stayed too. And, if people checked Wilkes Today they would have gotten to vote for the movie and then more people could have stayed because they would’ve liked the movie,” she said.

RHC is one of the “mega councils” here on campus. It is an elected group of undergraduate students that work directly with the Residence Life department to  make campus life engaging and enjoyable.

They also solve and prevent some of the concerns of residential living here on campus. RHC also plans many events for students benefits like movie night, several giveaways and their annual Study Breakevent that they host every semester before finals week.

“We are involved with promoting residence hall life and improving the residence halls and planning large events. We always did a movie night in the fall and we are in charge of study break in the fall and spring,” said Matt Franchetti, sophomore pre-pharmacy major and RHC member.

With the turnout of the event, RHC plans to continue movie nights in the future. RHC offered refreshments to attendees with the choices of popcorn, chips and more.

Through this event, RHC events gave students the chance to take a break, relax and have fun with friends before the stress of the semester hits. RHC’s events are open to anyone who wants to attend. To join RHC or get involved in the events, contact Ivy Kusi at [email protected].