A moment to destress is what college students would like to have during a chaotic semester full of homework, exams and tests. UC Live hosted an event on Oct. 22 called “Mug and Plate Painting.” It is exactly how it sounds.
The event is fun for friends, couples and roommates to enjoy each other’s company while designing a mug or plate with a paint pen. UC Live provided many colors from warm tones to soft tones and even some metallic colors. Many students created different designs that they either came up with, had a reference picture or just drew simple shapes to design their mugs and plates.
“The pros are you get a nice plate with a cool design that is unique to each person. It’s kind of stress relieving, and it’s also just fun to do with spending time with friends. The cons are that if you’re indecisive, you’ll find it hard to find a design you want or to think of,” Amelia Mehling said. “My overall experience was great. Although I couldn’t decide on a design in the end, I am still happy with the outcome.”
Tori Auchampach explained their experience, “It was fun painting on the plates and mugs. I liked that I got away from homework to do that. Art is always a fun thing to do. I didn’t like that there wasn’t that much space; it got a little overwhelming, and I felt like it was hard to navigate around. It would have been more fun if there were different colored plates and mugs, not just one color.” They added, “It was great and I had fun, only a few things could have been done differently. It was my first time doing it and I think I’d love to do it again.”
There was more to the event than just painting mugs and plates. There were snacks such as chips and sweet treats as well as drinks that included hot cocoa and hot apple cider, which could be topped with mini marshmallows or whipped cream to. This addition to the event added a cozy vibe that made you feel more relaxed as you glided the paint from the marker onto the glossy surface.
Any issue that many ran into while participating in this event is committing to a design since you can’t use and lead on a glossy surface to get a rough sketch. People also had to wait until the paint dried to wipe or pick at their mistakes. If they didn’t, the paint would smudge and it would be harder to work around it until it is fully dried.
Another issue is the supply. Many people asked around other tables to find the color they wanted and sometimes the marker would dry up quickly when the cap is left off for too long.
This event was a big success and a lot of people showed up. UC Live holds many events throughout each semester so even if you miss one, you can catch another. Even if you are hesitant to go, grab a friend, roommate, significant other, fraternity or sorority member or even a stranger and go to one of their events to unwind, relax and meet some new people.
This event was located in the Warhark’s Connection Center in the University Center. The rest of the events for UC Live for the fall semester are located on their website.
