Bursts of holiday music filled the air as more than 300 students flocked to the ARC on Wednesday night to the first annual “Take a Holiday with Her Campus” event.
Sponsored by Her Campus and The Illini Public Relations Associations, the wellness event was a great way to take a break before the rush of final exams. The first 50 guests at the event received a free goody bag filled with the latest issue of IMPULSE magazine and items from a variety of businesses, including Victoria’s Secret, EatCU, Camp Gladiator, and discount cards from Rent the Runway.
Throughout the night, guests enjoyed free hair services courtesy of Rod Sickler Salon and Spa and free makeup tutorials and applications by Morgan Byrne Cosmetics. In addition, Rent the Runway at Illinois encouraged girls to sign up for their website to receive a free discount card for their next rental. EatCU provided guests with health and nutrition tips, and guests were also treated to a student documentary preview from Gina Chinino and Caroline Pahl, two seniors in Media. Stella & Dot jewelry was on hand to display the latest trends in jewelry, and even had guests buying early holiday gifts for friends and family.
Aside from the services, several raffles took place throughout the evening. Guests purchased raffle tickets for $1 at the event, to bid on items such as Chicago Cubs tickets, Illinois men’s basketball tickets, free parties at Cly’s or Firehaus, gift certificates to local businesses and a plethora of others.
Highlights of the event included a Rent the Runway fashion show, in which 17 undergraduate women modeled off holiday-themed designer dresses from the fashion retail site, plus performances by 3 Spot Dance Troupe, Illini Dance Team and The Other Guys.
The event raised more than $1,900 for the Northwestern Settlement to buy Christmas presents for children in the Champaign-Urbana area. It was a huge success, and a great way to have fun before the semester comes to an end.