The University of Southern Mississippi recently held its annual Homecoming Week Fountain Sit, and Lily Collins, a member of Kappa Delta and team 6, came out on top. This year, the competition faced a unique challenge when it was moved from its usual location at Shoemaker Square to the Payne Center natatorium due to chlorine level concerns.
The game called for participants from each homecoming team to get into the water, complete challenges, and answer questions about the University. The questions, ranging from basic university facts like “When was Southern Miss founded?” to more specific knowledge such as “Who was the first football team Southern Miss played?” require contestants to prepare extensively.
Contestants studied wide ranges of Southern Miss history to prepare for the competition.
“I read The Drawl, which is the USM handbook front to back multiple times,” Collins said. “I studied everything Southern Miss for all of homecoming week.”
Not only did this competition require contestants to be prepared mentally, but also physically. They bundled up in layers of clothing to prevent themselves from getting too cold.
“So, my experience was, it was different than the rest of the other fountain sits in years past,” Collins said. “It was in the natatorium in the Payne Center, but it was still so much fun.”
Participants lined the edge of the pool as they answered questions about the university. These questions ranged from “What are the four colleges of the university?” and “Where are the oldest doorknobs on campus located?” They also competed to find keys and poker chips. And participated in synchronized swimming competitions.
After multiple rounds of questions and challenges, it came down to the final two participants. When the final question was asked, Collins emerged victorious.
“I was so excited that I won because it helped my team win homecoming in my mind,” Collins said. “It was really nice to see a result of what I’ve given to this University.”
