Bill Nye 'The Science Guy' Brings Cheers and Chaos to FSU

By Maria Fernanda Pereira Ywazaki on September 22, 2014

On Tuesday, more than a thousand students walked toward Ruby Diamond Auditorium with the purpose of seeing one man: Bill Nye, ‘The Science Guy.’  The administration did not expect such a positive response from the students and the masses that would gather to attend the event.  Due to the volume of people wishing to attend, the Facebook event page announced that no lines would be formed prior to 5 p.m. of that day.  Needless to say, many omitted this.

A gathering formed outside of Wescott in the form of a long line of awaiting attendees.  Crowds started arriving three hours before the official line would be formed.  Amongst excited chatter, people waited patiently for the beginning of the line.  Every once in a while booing noises could be heard of those who omitted the line and walked directly toward the entrance to be close when the lines started.

Maria F. Pereira Y.

Maria F. Pereira Y.

Finally, it was time.  The “official line” had been opened and the crowds dispersed into chaos. Through running, pushing, shoving, jumping over bushes, and wiggling, students made their way to the front the best they could.  The scene turned into a mess quickly.  A man with a bullhorn tried to “settle” the situation by giving direction that students had to form a line or they wouldn’t distribute the wristbands  (one of the requirements to enter and see the show).  Due to the chaos of people rushing to the front of the line, there were many with adrenaline rushes and more than a little disgruntled at the poor management.  Many had been there for hours and respected the line that was already forming.  Instead of accepting the line that was already formed, they allowed for chaos in the sudden race for survival of the fittest.

Tempers were quickly rising from the students and management, to the point of threats of being taken out of the vicinity by the FSUPD and not being able to watch the show at all. Students mumbled and grumbled complaints and critiques about the inadequate set-up and how easily it could have turned into a lawsuit against the university had anyone ended up hurt badly in the stampede.  Some people did get hurt, one girl was crying and holding her face as she walked away from the mass of bodies, probably disheartened and no longer in the mood for the show.  As for the group I was with, we were all separated.  I wiggled my way to the front (as much as I could) while my other friends decided to not attend or ended up toward the far back.  In the beginning we were six.  Three left, and I was split from the other two who remained.  The situation was quite ironic in many aspects. My friends had arrived there long before I, and I had never even heard of the speaker.  By the time my friends finally had a wristband and a ticket (to enter the show one had to have the wristband, the ticket, and the FSU I.D) I had been seated for a while in the first few rows on the first floor, and they were stuck to the second floor toward the back.  Listening to the conversations around me, I discovered that I was not the only person with an unfair seating arrangement (basing on how long I had waited in the “pre-line”).

Luckily, though, all who stayed had the opportunity to watch this iconic spokesman in person. Bill Nye was welcomed by a standing ovation and a chant of ‘Bill! Bill! Bill!’ that echoed all around the auditorium.

Maria F. Pereira Y.

 

Amidst the laughter, the story telling, and of course, the science, Bill Nye left a pretty clear message to the students at FSU: “Let’s Change the World!”

Maria F. Pereira Y.

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