PROVO — If you can't entice them with smaller class sizes, shorter lines and less traffic, try 120,000 water balloons in the "Cougar Cooldown," BYU's attempt at the world's largest water balloon fight. BYU is hosting its first summer mega-activity Friday to encourage students to stay in Provo beyond April.
"We're trying to create a culture for spring and summer," said Lori Gardiner, manager of spring/summer enrollment. "We decided we would offer a monumental activity that would keep students talking for months to come and hopefully help others want to stick around and see what happens for future spring/summer terms."
Wednesday afternoon, dozens of damp volunteers crowded around water spigots, quickly filling and tying baseball-sized balloons. Broken water balloons littered the parking lot, and "leakers" were quickly launched at friends.
Bags of 30 balloons, which will be handed to participants, were rebagged in groups of 90 and then floated in giant troughs, which normally hold ice and drinks at football games.
Gardiner said they calculated it would take 17 straight hours to fill the 120,000 balloons if they spent 10 seconds per balloon. But Wednesday afternoon, they were only at 15,000.
"We'll be here all night, not just till 10 like we thought," she said, cheerfully looking over all the empty bins. "It's not going as fast."
Spring and summer enrollment is usually about one-third of the normal fall/winter numbers, and in 2009, BYU reported 29,358 students during the winter semester, 11,235 in spring: 8,330 in summer and 30,533 students in fall.
"We are interested in having students stick around, not necessarily trying to get enrollment up ... but because we are interested in better utilizing all of our resources on campus and helping students to graduate quicker," Gardiner said.
Some students don't stay, because they are working summer jobs, taking internships or burned out and need a break, Gardiner said. But in a recent survey, 21 percent of students said they would stay in Provo if there were more fun activities, she said.
"You're hearing about this everywhere, on campus and off," said BYUSA president Chris Peterson as he filled up a green balloon.
"You mention the water fight, and people get excited."
The record to beat is 3,902 participants and 119,000 balloons, held by the University of Kentucky, said head student volunteer Todd McOmber. BYU is aiming for 4,000 students and at least 120,000 balloons.
The "Cooldown" also features New York artist Kyle Andrews filming a music video in the middle of the melee, free lunch and a blood drive.
"(This shows) we can have just as much fun as any other university," McOmber said "There's tons of fun stuff to do. Why not stay in Provo if you can?"
For more information or to register, visit saas.byu.edu/springsummer.
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