Each fall, the Auburn community is able to come together on campus and bond during Hey Day, which was voted as the best student event for Plainsman's Choice 2023.
With everyone donning a name tag, Auburn students, faculty and the community have a unique opportunity to greet one another on a first-name basis despite the fact that most of them are likely strangers. This has been viewed by many students as a day of connection with their peers and those on campus.
While many on campus simply walk down the concourse and enjoy Hey Day, they are likely unaware of the work that goes into preparing for this day.
"In terms of the planning phase, we start really when we get selected. We get selected in April, and from there, we kind of hit the ground running in terms of contacting vendors, starting to get a new logo design," said SGA Assistant Vice President of Outreach Programs Charlie Fleury, junior in public relations. "So, really starting in April until October, we are pretty much working every week."
Fleury said that during this period, he used essentially any free time he had to plan Hey Day in hopes that it would be "one big, successful event for here on campus."
Despite Hey Day taking place on campus, Fleury said that it was also a goal to reach out to several downtown businesses so that they could also get involved and create a community-wide outreach effort.
The push to build a community on Auburn's campus is seemingly embodied in Hey Day, as students often cite it as a day that is completely unique to Auburn and the Auburn family, a point that Fleury echoed.
"I think it's so special because I think it is very unique to Auburn, but it really is just an event that embodies what the Auburn family spirit is all about," Fleury said. "We talk about the Auburn family all the time, but this is an event that truly embodies that idea, that embodies that spirit."
Fleury also works as a Camp War Eagle counselor and said that he mentions Hey Day to those in his groups at any chance he gets. He felt that Hey Day was a tangible way to experience the Auburn family and that everyone on campus needs to take part in it.
"It promotes a welcoming environment all around campus," Fleury said. "I know some people might not have that awesome experience of Hey Day that some people do, but our goal is to really bring it to everyone no matter what their background is, no matter what their personality is, really bringing everyone to meet new people and have a fun day."
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Tucker Massey, junior in journalism, is the content editor for The Auburn Plainsman.
