Despite the light snowfall, students started off the beginning of spring by gathering on the Todd Hall steps for live music and arts and crafts.

Artopia provided a way for students to get involved and gain points for their residence halls in an activities competition called Spring Hall Week.

Artopia included a jazz concert, painting with Wild @ Art, henna, planting flowers, and do-it-yourself T-shirts. At the end of the event, organizers raffled off a $25 gift card to the Moscow Co-op.

“This is a great opportunity for students to come and do something relaxing,” said Orton Hall residential education director Earl Lee.

Carmen Evans, resident adviser for Wilmer-Davis, worked at the do-it-yourself T-shirt table where students could make their own T-shirt creation.

“It’s a way for students to express themselves creatively. It’s getting close to finals time so it’s good for stress relief,” Evans said.

Artopia is one of the eight events hosted for Spring Hall Week. For every event that a student attends or participates in, they will gain points for their residence hall.

“This is (Residence Hall Association’s) version of what a homecoming looks like. It’s a way to show hall pride,” Lee said.

Artopia was one of the two events coordinated and presented by the programming board committee for the Department of Residence Life this semester.

Last semester, the programming board committee coordinated a late-night study session called Cookies & Crunch Time and a Family Feud: Cougar Edition game night.

“We want to create a stronger bond between res halls,” said Abby Shane, director of programming for the Residence Hall Association.

Shane and the rest of the programming board committee spent this semester planning for Spring Hall Week. They partnered with student-led organizations on campus to put on events every day this week.

On Monday, there was a blood drive. On Tuesday, the Student Entertainment Board hosted the Guerilla Film Challenge and the RHA hosted Artopia.

On Wednesday, there will be a showing of Space Jam for a Late Night Movie Night in the Compton Union Building Auditorium.

On Thursday, a wing eating contest will be held in the Northside Dining Hall. Participants will receive points for attending and a point for each wing a competitor eats.

On Friday, there will be the Glow Undie Run on the top of Holland Terrell Library. Participants will donate the clothes off their back to Goodwill and race in their underwear for a prize.

On Saturday, Orton Hall, McEachern Hall and RHA will put on the Hall-A-Palooza on the Rogers-Orton Playfields. There will be activities, food and prizes provided by individual halls.

Each event provides an opportunity to earn points and prizes and a chance to get involved with other residence halls on campus.