The University Program Board will be hosting a finals stress relief bumper car event on May 3 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Brown Ballroom of the Bone Student Center.

The Redbird Spirit Committee of the UPB has planned this first-ever event as a way for students to relieve stress while they prepare for finals week.

Students will be able to use the bumper cars free of charge for four hours that evening.

The event will run on a first-come, first-serve system. Students will also have the opportunity to make ISU themed bracelets and lanyards on the side while they wait to ride the bumper cars.  

Kelly Mitchell, Redbird Spirit chairperson, said the beads on the bracelets are going to symbolize different things about ISU and the campus.

Mitchell said the bumper cars are being rented from a company located in Kentucky called Backyard Bounce.

“I got the idea for this event when the board and I went to a conference this summer called the National Association for Campus Activities,” Mitchell said. “One booth at NACA had information about bumper car activities, so I went up to it and got more information.”

She said the planning for the event took off from there due to the overall positive feedback she received from the rest of the board.

Mitchell added she has no idea what to expect, but she is hoping to get enough people to have the event running for the entire four hours.

“The UPB hosted a laser activity two years ago and close to 900 people showed up,” she explained. “We are hoping for the same effect for the bumper car event.”

“We are hoping that giving students the opportunity to run into each other and the walls with the bumper cars will relieve some of the anxiety and stress they feel towards finals,” Mitchell explained.

With this being her last event as a chairperson, Mitchell said she is looking forward to seeing a good turn out to end the year strong.