Students vented their mid-semester frustrations with sledgehammers on two salvaged cars, all while supporting the UNM athletic teams.
Hundreds of students braved the cold weather at the east side of the SUB at noon Tuesday for Lobolition, an ASUNM-sponsored pep rally that allowed students to demolish cars with sledgehammers.
School Spirit Committee Co-chairman Dustin Conrad said UNM needs to have more events like Lobolition to promote a community feeling on campus.
"I think events like this are really important to UNM," Conrad said. "It gives students a sense of belonging and shows support for our athletes at the same time."
Conrad and Committee Co-chairwoman Sen. Jacque Garcia said the event had been in the planning stages for several weeks, and they were hoping to add to school spirit built by the first Red Rally. Red Rally was held in the fall to drum up student interest in the Lobo-Aggie football game. Lobolition, Garcia said, was designed to show support for the men's and women's basketball teams before the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament in Denver starting March 10.
"Lobolition is just something different," Garcia said. "We wanted to get a car-bash out here to show our school spirit. It helps out our teams, and it is something fun for students to do."
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Senior Joe Chavez, who described himself as a rabid Lobo fan, said he relished the opportunity to back UNM athletics in any way.
"It was fun," Chavez said. "And the fact that I got to break something was even that much better."
The scene caused confusion among some students passing by, though.
"I can't understand what they're doing," UNM student Janet Chiang said. "I guess they're doing it for fun, but it does seem a bit violent."
Another student declined to take out his frustrations on the cars because of the weather.
"It looks pretty fun, but I'm not going to do it," junior Ryan Hopkins said. "It's way too cold, so I'm going home."
