While the hype of Chaos Day spread throughout campus last Saturday, Knollcrest East’s annual Mud Bowl was being held just minutes away.

Each year, the Knollcrest East apartments hold the Mud Bowl, a collection of games and competitions the students living in the apartments can participate in.

“It’s a lot like Chaos Day,” said KE resident assistant Nicole Wilson. “Except it’s in mud.”

This year, more than 100 students participated in the events ranging from dodgeball to an over-under watermelon race. Of course, no mud-based set of contests would be complete without tug-of-war.

The different buildings split up into four teams this year to compete in the events, with the Phi/Chi and Beta team officially taking home the crown.

However, as Wilson puts it, this year’s competition may have been less about who won, and more about who was going to lose.

“This year was a little different,” Wilson said. “Everybody wanted to make sure Theta-Epsilon didn’t win because they always do, so we all created alliances.”

The manufactured tension came to a climax right before the events, as several RAs from rival apartments joined to tear a bandana, signifying Theta-Epsilon, directly in front of the rival students.

But any real tension quickly disappeared as the morning wore on and the students grew closer through the experience.

“I think the fact that there are a lower number of students participating is really unique to the Mud Bowl,” Wilson reflected. “It helps us become a more tight-knit community.”

“Plus, it’s a lot of fun. I heard a couple students say they liked it better than Chaos Day.”

After the scheduled events, the residents and resident assistants joined in a free-for-all in the mud, with students ganging up on their respective RAs.

As the mud-flinging died down, students returned to their dorms, but not before stopping to clean off at the provided hoses. Fliers on each building’s doors reminded students to make sure they had left any mud outside of the apartments before entering.

While Calvin ensured that mud and grime would stay outside, the dorm leadership hopes that the bonding experience will remain with the students throughout the year.

For many students, the Knollcrest East apartments is another step in the transition to a responsible adult life. Buying groceries, having more freedom and continually figuring out how to live in God’s world are exciting, but also scary.

“Part of the reason I chose Calvin was not only the opportunities here, but the Christian people that I would meet and grow with as well,” said Sarah Hubbel, a new KE resident.

If students are comfortable enough to play in the mud together, they might just be comfortable enough to live in Christ together.