On the last day of the pancake week, March 13, SSU hosted festivities at the Students’ Square. University students and staff and city dwellers came to celebrate the traditional Great Maslenitsa. Skomorokhs met the guests, there were songs and dances, university artists made a colorful show, organized khorovods and invited everyone to participate in competitions.
Rector A.N. Chumachenko congratulated everyone on the arrival of spring. “Today is a really good morning. It seems the spring has already come but it will not arrive without our festivities”, he said.
University faculties and institutes showed their hospitality to the guests. Structural units prepared stalls with treats of pancakes, sweets and tea from samovar. The stalls were decorated with flags, posters, painted hearths and samovars. There were piles of pancakes, threads of round cracknels, candy, biscuits and waffles.
Faculty of Foreign Languages and Language Teaching Methods students surprised the guests: they had Leonardo Di Caprio at their stall. Everyone could make a selfie with a famous actor and try “DicaPancakes”. “Turkmen Yard” with students in traditional dress was also very popular.
Faculty of Geography prepared a beautiful exposition of maslenitsa symbols; Faculty of Biology students decorated their stall with knitted dolls.
The jury evaluated Maslenitsa treats and chose the best stalls. Institute of Sport and Physical Culture won the competition, Faculty of Geography got the second place, and Division for International Cooperation and Internationalization came third.
The hosts – Skomorokh, Matreshka, Baba Yaga and Vesna – made sure everyone had fun. There were lots of songs and dancing. There was a show by folk music group “Prazdnik”, modern choreography dance group “Art-mix”, folk ensemble “Zolotitsa” and ensemble “Contrast”.
The guests danced in khorovods, sang, participated in traditional competitions. They threw valenoks, read tongue twisters, took part in tug-of-war competitions and other entertainments. They also participated in a quest organized by SSU Student and Graduate Student Council together with Office of Student Educational Work. In an hour teams had to pass 26 thematic platforms at the Students’ Square. Faculty of Philosophy team came third, Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technologies were second. The best result was demonstrated by the Faculty of Geography team.
In the end of the Festival Maslenitsa effigy was burned as a symbol of spring’s arrival.
