Students Kick Off New Year at All-College BBQ

Students at Thomas Aquinas College, New England, enjoyed their first full weekend on campus with games and the traditional All-College Barbeque.

The event began Saturday with a muddy tug-of-war between the classes, beginning with the seniors and freshmen. Although the seniors have significantly fewer students, their synchronized strategy won them the first game. Next the juniors geared up to face the sophomores, who won the match, dragging the Junior Class into the mud. Finally, seniors faced sophomores, who once again beat their opponents by sheer strength. Members of the victorious Class of 2026 hooted and hollered, jumping in the mud to celebrate their win!

Thoroughly muddied from the game, students headed over to a giant slip-and-slide on the hill beside the athletic field. Dousing themselves in liquid soap, both students and faculty children raced down the slide covered in suds, running right back up the hill after they hit the bottom for another go. “I had a lot of fun,” laughed Trinity Solis (‘25). “I had never done it before, and it was fun to see myself and everyone else turn white from the suds!”

It was at last time for dinner. Grabbing plates of ribs, corn on the cob, and coleslaw, students mingled with tutors and their families. The festival tent was full of laughter and conversation for hours as freshmen reflected on their first week at the College and tutors caught up with returning students.