On Aug. 18, NC State’s annual Target Run was held at the Target on Walnut Street in Cary. Beginning at 10 p.m. and going until 1 a.m. the next day, the Target Run is put on by the University Activities Board (UAB) and gives NC State students, mostly freshmen, a chance to buy last-minute supplies for their classes and new rooms.
UAB President Zach Hover, a fourth-year studying communication and biology, said that close to 3,000 students attended the event throughout the night. Hover said the event takes about 3-4 months to plan to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible.
Beginning around 9:30 p.m., NC State students started getting on the buses to ride to Target. Students were given different colored wristbands that told them when they were to board the buses. An event was held on Stafford Commons to entertain waiting students which included Spikeball, food and inflatable axe throwing.
Participants at the event said they were waiting for the buses for anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours.
Eric Williams, executive team leader of service and engagement for Target on Walnut Street, said the event went well and that the store made accommodations to make sure students were able to get in and out as quickly as possible.
“I think the event has been successful,” Williams said. “We’ve definitely doubled our turnout from last year. The students all seem really excited. We’ve got the music going. I think it’s just a really good environment all around. I think just making sure we have good crowd control, especially at the front of the store, is really important. We want to make all of the students can get checked in and out quickly.”
Williams said Target appreciates its NC State customers and wants to keep their patronage.
“Target loves community, and just with this store being so close to State, this store used to be the main NC State store before they built the State Target, so we get a lot of student traffic,” Williams said. “I actually went to NC State and I came to Target Run my freshman year, so coming back and working at it is really cool to see.”
The students were entertained with music, a photo booth and caricatures. Many students said the event was worth the wait.
Student Body President Emma Carter, a fourth-year studying sociology and international studies, said she hopes this event becomes an NC State tradition in the future.
“I hope this event continues for NC State,” Carter said. “I remember coming my freshman year, and just now, coming back four years later, it’s really awesome to see how it’s grown and changed.”
