Gentle Friday provided a break from studying for exams and gave students the opportunity to relax before the semester ends.

“Right now it is stressful before exams,” said Heidi Blackrick, a Leroy freshman. “It is the last time to hang out with friends before summer.”

Registered student organizations, food, music and fun activities filled Lot 62W, near the Student Activity Center, as students celebrated the last week of classes.

In addition to racing a friend while attached to a bungee cord, Blackrick said she enjoyed tie-dyeing T-shirts and talking to representatives from student organizations.

In past years, Gentle Friday has featured performances by local bands, but this year Program Board and On the Fly teamed up to bring the Crocs Next Step Campus Tour concert to CMU in conjunction with Gentle Friday.

The Crocs Tour also brought additional activities to the Gentle Friday atmosphere. There were video games, such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band, among other games.

Program Board has been planning Gentle Friday for the last three months, said Andrew Wright, Program Board external public relations chairman and Bay City freshman.

“Now that I’m here, I see it’s a big success,” Wright said. “I’m very satisfied.”

The even has been a campus-wide event for the past 41 years and Program Board wants to keep the tradition alive, Wright said.

Program Board Vice President Matt Burza said the event’s meaning has transformed over the years.

“The first Gentle Friday took place in the 1960s as a peaceful protest to the Vietnam War. Over the years, it has become a day of remembrance,” the Allegan senior said.

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