Flyer for the Pop the Balloon event in Hayden 100.
@MANHATTANUBSU / INSTAGRAM
Leyla J. Mercado, Features Editor & Asst. Social Media Editor
Manhattan University’s (MU) Black Student Union (BSU) hosted their second annual “Pop the Balloon” event for the student body. With over 100 people attending when it occurred last year, this semester the club held it in Hayden 100 with decorated white boards and anticipation building for it to start.
Raya Caamano, senior double major in psychology and criminology and president of BSU, spoke to The Quadrangle about how the event has evolved from the first time it was hosted and how they wanted to make it better each year.
“Last year we were genuinely just overwhelmed by the amount of people showing up that we didn’t have the chance to engage with the crowd as much.” Caamano said. “That was one of the biggest club events I’ve ever seen; there was just so much shock, but now that it’s a household name event, [we have] more confidence that people are coming back and [we can] just figure out how to make it bigger and better every time.”
@MANHATTANUBSU / INSTAGRAM
This time around, BSU has grown the event, with more participants, better organization and the collaboration and support of Manhattan Media Network (MMN) to film this event – setting up multiple 4K cameras through Hayden 100 in order to watch it back and boost their social media presence. With constant laughter and excitement, individuals who attended would add commentary, provide input and react to all that was occurring, making the event a more interactive experience.
“I had so much fun, I was fortunate enough to host a round,” Caamano said. “I honestly have fun whenever I get to be with my family and community here on campus. We know each other as blessings. I look back on my freshman year and wonder how there was ever a time that fostering a community wasn’t my number one priority.”
“Pop the Balloon or Find Love” is a viral YouTube and Netflix dating gameshow where single contestants introduce themselves to a panel of potential matches holding red balloons. Panelists instantly pop their balloon if they are uninterested based on the contestant’s appearance, job or lifestyle, leaving only un-popped matches at the end to pursue a connection.
Camryn Daley, sophomore psychology major and vice president of BSU spoke about choosing to use this game show and how BSU hosting the event on MU’s campus made it accessible and welcoming to the campus community.
“Pop the Balloon has become such a popular trend on social media, especially on YouTube, so we thought it would be a fun way to bring something that students already recognize and enjoy to campus.” Daley said. “I think what made our version special was being able to bring the Manhattan community together and allow students to actually participate in something they usually only get to watch online. It was also a great way for BSU to create a fun and welcoming environment where everyone could get involved.”
Cassandra Bravo, freshman communication major, was a contestant on the show and won the first round. She discussed her experience as well as what made her want to join the event.
“It was a really cool event,” Bravo said. “So many people showed up and the crowd was so engaged which made it really fun. I liked that it really gave people the chance to know people’s values and goals in terms of relationships. I actually decided to [join] last minute… In the moment my thought process was kind of like ‘YOLO’ because it seemed interesting and a fun experience…”
Bravo also told The Quadrangle about winning in her couple, and confirmed she continued to speak to the person she was paired with.
“It was really great,” Bravo said. “Who doesn’t love to win? It was especially validating that people were rooting for me. Josh and I have known each other for a little while so of course we spoke after.”
Daley also commented on what will be hosted next by BSU, with hopes that everyone who joins can have fun and be involved.
“Some events students can look forward to in the future are Middle Ground and Family Feud!,” Daley said. “We’re really excited about these events because, just like Pop the Balloon, they’re great opportunities to bring students together, have fun and get everyone involved. As vice president, one of my biggest goals is to continue creating events that people genuinely enjoy and look forward to attending. We want BSU to be a welcoming space where everyone feels comfortable participating and connecting with one another.”
Caamano also gave final thanks and acknowledgement in regard to the event as a whole.
“It is hard to do this without acknowledging how colorful this campus has become,” Caamano said. “I am so proud to be a student leader of a community that’s goal is to just make people feel at home with one another.”
More updates on upcoming events are set to be posted to BSU’s Instagram account @manhattanubsu.
*Editor’s note: Sarah Rolka contributed to reporting.