Students came together to clean the NDSU campus after Halloween weekend

The National Residence Hall Honorary hosted a clean-up gathering for students on Nov. 1. Participants met at Cater Hall at the beginning of the event.

Students were split up into small groups and walked around campus picking up trash. Everyone was provided trash bags and gloves for the clean-up. COVID-19 guidelines also were followed by social distancing, small groups and masks.

Events Chair of the NRHH MacKenzie Teigen said their club is based on “service, leadership and recognition.” The clean-up event is one of their many ways to serve NDSU and they invited anyone to join. 

“Being outside, it was easy to follow the regulations put in place with having masks and gloves on,” Teigen said about hosting the event during a pandemic.

Kayla Hovland, junior and member of NRHH, said the clean-up idea started in previous years after seeing trash around campus following NDSU football games. “I feel like it doesn’t look good on our part if we don’t respect campus,” Hovland said. “If we can clean up, it shows respect back to what we have been given.”

Additional members of the organization and junior Alayna Osterman said they wanted to host the clean-up event last semester, prior to the pandemic shutdown. They made it possible this semester with proper adjustments.

The event lasted about two hours and participants were provided lunch.

NHRR promotes the idea that keeping the college environment clean is beneficial. “We live on campus, we spend a lot of time here. I think it is important to keep it really beautiful,” Teigen said. “It helps with our own mental health and appreciation of where we are if we put effort into it.”

The NRHH offers many opportunities for members and students to get involved on campus. For more information, check out https://www.ndsu.edu/reslife/get_involved/national_residence_hall_honorary/.