Eastern Nazarene College’s SGA will put on an ‘Escape the Room’ event for the second year in a row on January 26 and 27 on the third floor of Gardner.
Director of Student Events Aaron Hebert brought the event to campus last year as a part of the Sophomore Class Council. Due to the success and high praise last year’s Escape the Room received, it seemed only natural to bring it back for a second time.
Escape the Room is a popular trend where participants can sign up to get locked in a room. The goal is to solve a series of riddles and puzzles to unlock various keys so you can, in fact, escape the room. Last year, the puzzles were confined to one room, but this year Hebert is expanding the event by creating two rooms from which people attempt to escape in order “to give more people the opportunity to enjoy this experience.”
Last year, a group of people could sign up prior to the event; they were allotted an hour of time to try and figure out the riddles and puzzles. By offering two different spaces this year, the number of students able to participate is doubled. Just like last year, participants will have 60 minutes to finish the adventures for both rooms, but don’t worry. Hebert says that if you cannot figure out the clues in time, helpers will be able to come in and show you how to finish.
Hebert says it was important to make this event free for students, as other Escape the Room experiences can cost upwards of $40 per person. Students can sign up online through the ENC Events app for the room from which they wish to escape. Students can choose between “Escape the Conference Room” and “Escape the Classroom” or they can choose to do both. Both will have the same level of difficulty, but the clues to escape will be different. “Escape the Classroom” is the returning room from last year, with the same clues. For those that participated in last years’ “Escape the Classroom,” “Escape the Conference Room” is a brand new and exciting challenge for the campus.
“Last year, a lot of people were upset they couldn’t get the opportunity to participate, and with all of the great feedback from those who could, we thought it was important to bring it back,” Hebert says. “This way, with two different opportunities, more people will be able to participate and get another chance at coming to this fun event.”
No hints can be given about what will happen at the event. As Hebert points out, “Everything is not as it seems. Come prepared to think!”