Hundreds of VCU students packed into the University Student Commons Tuesday night to hang out, be entertained by professional magicians and then abruptly leave as VCU’s First Year Student Services bussed approximately 700 students to Wal-Mart to stock up on school supplies, groceries and dorm room accessories as part of Welcome Week. Armed with special coupons for 10 percent off one item, the swarm of mostly freshmen took over the store’s aisles for several hours until midnight.
Around 8:30 p.m. the Student Transition, Advising and Registration team, who corralled the massive line and checked VCU IDs, unleashed the flood of eager shoppers onto six charter buses. They were then whisked for free to the Forest Hill Wal-Mart, which many transportation-challenged students found rather helpful.
“I don’t have a car, so this makes it a lot easier,” said Mahelet Tilaye, a 19-year-old sophomore. “I did it last year, too. It’s a great opportunity. It just gets a little stuffed on the way back because everyone has their bags.”
Before getting to Wal-Mart in the first place, the majority of the crowd couldn’t fit onto the first 300-passenger group out of the Commons. Those remaining waited in style, playing games like ZAP with STAR orientation assistants, picking cards for magic tricks and receiving handmade balloon creations.
Wal-Mart and VCU coordinated the event for the third straight year, this time upping the number of buses from four to six. The store also opened nine extra VCU-only checkout lanes and kept many daytime options open until closing, including McDonald’s, Regal Nails, Woodforest National Bank, the Vision Center, the pharmacy and layaway for large items.
The Richmond Police Department also visited to talk about crime prevention, while Wal-Mart even had a table handing out free cakes in school colors.
“The first year I think we had, like, 500 students. Last year we had 1,200, and we weren’t planning on those 1,200,” said Mike Gignac, store manager. “This year I think we’ve done a better job than we have in the past. I just hope we achieve – and overachieve – the students’ expectations.”
With such large hordes making the trek from the dorms, the trip turned into a social event for many in attendance. Students could enjoy rap music pumped through the buses or take part in the loud chatter of new acquaintances.
“It’s a social thing. I came because all the other girls on my hall were going,” said Amanda Martinson, a freshman engineering major.
While purchases of the night ranged from towels and DVDs to chips, salsa and reclining chairs, Martinson wasn’t gunning for any items to buy. “I want to put a red streak in my hair at the salon. Something funky.”
According to one cashier, the most common sales of the night were electronics, printer cables, power surge cords and school supplies. The priciest purchases seen were a Video iPod and an Xbox 360.
“It was really exciting, because all of us were here, and we were all in a rush to get everything we need,” said freshman and biology major Denise Ramos after buying Doritos, a shower caddy and plastic kitchen utensils. “It was fun. You know, it’s Wal-Mart. Who doesn’t like Wal-Mart?”