There’s always room for a tarp covered with Jell-O
Three hundred gallons of green Jell-O and not a carrot in sight. The annual Institute Men’s Association Jell-O slide was held Tuesday afternoon on the Quad. The Jell-O slide has been a tradition for more than 15 years.
The slide itself is a 100-foot-long strip of tarp kept slippery by a volunteer running water on it with a hose. Students and even some teachers immersed themselves in a giant kiddie pool full of the Utah delicacy and then got a running start to go down the slide.
“It is just a fun, crazy activity to let people know about the IMA and the IWA,” said Dave Thomas a teacher at the LDS Institute on campus.
Ryan Werner a junior majoring in psychology and a member of the IMA, helped plan and organize this year’s Jell-O slide.
“We made the Jell-O in The Junction, it took about two hours, then we let it set over night,” said Werner.
Green Jell-O is traditionally the color used for the event.
“People seem to like it and I’ve heard red stains too much,” Werner said.
Although tasty, the Jell-O was made in garbage cans so students participated at their own risk.
Some people wore T-shirts and shorts, some wore swimming suits, but most just wore something that they didn’t care about. Others just slid down in what they had on because it looked like too much fun to pass up.
There isn’t a dress code, Werner explained.
“Just wear more than your birthday suit and you’re good to go.”
Thomas went down the slide in his business suit, explaining that it was time to retire the suit anyway.
Autumn Montgomery, a senior in animal science, has worn the same rainbow tie dyed shirt four out of the five years she has been participating in the Jell-O slide.
“It’s tie-dyed so it doesn’t matter if it stains,” Montgomery said it is her tradition.
“I’m a die-hard, where else do you get a chance to do this huge slip and slide rolled in Jell-O?”
Kristina Kellet a junior in interior design was watching the event but didn’t come prepared to participate.
“I think it’s so awesome. I would love to try it if I wasn’t dressed up,” Kellet said.
It was estimated that about 75 to 100 people came to ride the slide, but many more students were watching.
Natalie Cook, a junior in journalism said she was drawn to the Jell-O slide because she wants to be a photographer and she thought she could get some good pictures.
“When I watched for a while I couldn’t resist – when else do you get a chance to swim in Jell-O?”
Brandtley Henderson a junior in vocal performance describes the feeling of being in a pool full of Jell-O as “surprisingly comfortable and squishy in a good way.”
Werner said the best technique for going down the Jell-O slide is to
arch your back so just your chest and stomach is touching and lift your arms and legs to reduce as much friction as possible.
Werner said he hasn’t heard of serious injuries happening at the event.
“I think someone cut their foot last year,” Werner said.
The Jell-O slide lasted for almost three hours the and excess the Jell-O was cleaned up and taken to a car wash to be dumped down the drain.
-nnaylor@cc.usu.edu
Brother Dave Thomas, adviser to the Institute Men´s Association, supermans down the Jell-O slide Tuesday afternoon on the Quad. He does it every year in one of his old suits which he saves for the occasion.