Bethel University students dressed in an array of colors flooded through the doors of the Robertson Center Gym last night for the kickoff of Bethel’s Homecoming events. Flags waved above them as the gymnasium echoed with screams, cheers and claps of students who had anticipated this moment for days.

Cheer Night is an annual Bethel Homecoming tradition in which each dorm competes against one another by coming up with their own cheer to show off the most school spirit. 

“Extravagant.” That is the word Caleb Briggity, a Bodien freshman dressed in a blue inflatable suit, partially deflated from all the jumping and cheering — used to describe the energy at Cheer Night. Even before the cheers started, students were putting on mock wrestling matches, crowd surfing and zooming around in mysteriously-acquired shopping carts.

The event kicked off with a cheer from Heritage residents, referencing age-old jokes such as the mythical Heritage swimming pool. This was followed by a performance from Edgren Hall freshmen and from groutfit-clad commuters. One group followed the next  in a clockwise rotation around the gym. Some notable lyrics included Arden Village’s announcement that Resident Director Tori Robinson is pregnant, the Commuters apologizing for last years’ Men’s Dance routine — where a group of students ripped off their shirts — and a multitude of “ring by spring” jokes.

Most students showed their dorm pride by dressing themselves head to toe in their dorm color and painting their face, but some students went as far as giving themselves haircuts. 

“I always wanted to cut my hair, like bald, and honestly I want to do it for Homecoming,” shouted Arden Village Homecoming captain Crioni Menendez through a crowd of celebrating students after each team had finished cheering. He shaved the majority of his hair, leaving only an arrow pattern reminiscent of “The Last Airbender.”

Although the dorms compete to win, after cheer the flags that once waved were laid down and the colors that once separately charged the gym, united to take pictures and dance. Students blended together as they found their friends from competing dorms, praising one another for their performances.