Pimped wheels

Sleepy students hoping to take a nap in the James River Terrace were greeted Monday by an array of tricked-out inventions. Lining the wall of the normally quiet room upstairs in the University Student Commons were the entries for the Homecoming “Pimp my Wheels” competition. They included a smashed-up child’s bike and a wheelchair with spinners.

Jessica Moise, chair for spirit on the Homecoming Committee, said the rules were simple: decorate “any type of item with wheels.”

“We kind of put a reality spin” on the Homecoming events, Moise said. She said many of the entries were advertisements for Homecoming queen and king. The creatively decorated wheels were judged on school spirit and other factors.

The junior social work major strolled down the room judging all the entries. They ranged in size from a shopping cart to a radio-controlled car.

Alpha Sigma Alpha and Kappa Sigma members got up early to decorate a wheelchair, said Page Klein, a junior mass communications major.

“We had the idea of using a wheelchair because it was the easiest thing to get. A lot of people have grandparents,” Klein said.

A Teddy bear wearing a Rams T-shirt sat in the wheelchair, which featured aluminum foil spinners and colorful paper streamers.

Sigma Sigma Sigma and Delta Chi entered a gold-painted toilet inside a shopping cart.

“We just wanted to do something bright and vivid,” said Lisa Lano, a junior pre-radiation science major. “Something funny, too.”

The toilet, complete with phone, was filled with play money. Underneath the cart was a boom box playing music, including the theme song from MTV’s “Pimp My Ride.”

The Activities Programming Board entered a radio control Jeep with a basketball on the hood. Alpha Kappa Lamdba entered a smashed-up blue kids bike. A crossed-out Georgia State logo warns their basketball team, “not in my house.”

“Pimp My Wheels” was one segment of the weeklong spirit team competition including a basketball shootout, window painting in the Commons and a cookie-decorating contest.

Klein said the low turnout for “Pimp My Wheels” would help out her team in the whole competition.

“The competition is going to be tight. That’s probably really good for us.”

The week wraps up with the talent show Friday night and the men’s basketball game versus Georgia State Saturday afternoon.

“With the talent show we have Flavor Flav coming. That’s been the big hype of the talent show. It’s actual students and some faculty,” Moise said.

Among the nearly 20 acts will be soccer tricks, singing, dancing, rapping and poetry.

Lano said it was the first year she was really involved in Homecoming, and that she was enjoying the week.

“It’s been going really well,” she said. “At times it can be hectic and stressful, but we just try to have a positive outlook on everything. I’m having a great time.”