Though FUDG has been a long standing tradition at Washington and Lee, it has suffered from a lowered turnout in recent years.
“Because of COVID it died down, but I have hopes that some of the people coming in this year are going to make it alive again,” said Mark Holden, ’25, one of FUDG’s executives.
FUDG executives have been putting in effort to revitalize the program. Renovations have included adding new furniture, lighting and a pool table to make the location feel more inviting.
FUDG, which stands for Friday Underground, is a social event that takes place on Fridays from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Art, Recreation and Culture (ARC) house. The ARC House is an off-campus theme house designed to cultivate an appreciation for the arts. Its events range from game nights to trivia competitions to poetry readings.
Unlike other weekend parties, FUDG is an alcohol-free location that offers a fun but laid back environment for students who are looking for a different social experience than Greek life.
FUDG’s latest innovation has been a pilot collaboration with the Traveller Safe Ride Program, commonly known as Trav, to take students to and from the ARC House during events. Shuttles operate from Quad, but students can also call Trav dispatch to pick them up from any location.
Students have responded positively to the changes at FUDG, according to the program’s executives. The official hours end at 10 p.m., but attendees have started to stay past that time.
“I like that it’s a way to go and relax on the weekend,” said Cayla Nelson, ’28. “I have a lot of friends that go there and are able to hang out and play games and do so in a way that feels safer to me than other options for entertainment on the weekends.”
Students’ enthusiasm has contributed to a possible extension of FUDG’s hours until midnight.
“A lot of people usually dip when our official hours end, but there are certainly a few who will stick around,” said Leon Tong, ’28, a FUDG executive member.
FUDG executives said they will continue improving the program to increase turnout.
“Retention is one of our biggest shortfalls right now, but if we can get people to come back week after week, it’ll be good to have familiar faces around,” Tong said.
To achieve this, FUDG partners with different clubs and organizations. They previously collaborated with the Washingtonian Society for a miracle berry tasting event and the Sexual Health Awareness Group (SHAG) to host Sexy FUDG as a part of programming aimed to educate students about sexual wellness.
FUDG also pushed to improve their advertising on campus and online. These efforts are being led by Ayame Merkel, ’28, who recently joined the executive team as a graphic designer. Holden hopes that this year’s improvements will bring more energy to FUDG.
“Ideally, we will find people who are more motivated to keep [FUDG] and bring in some of the spirit that it used to have,” Holden said.
The executives also hope that students will be drawn to FUDG’s inclusive environment.
“I know some people come to FUDG for two hours and then go to the hill or other parties, and that’s perfectly OK with us,” Tong said. “We just want people to have a space that they can go to regardless of the time of night on Fridays.”
While FUDG is often advertised as an alcohol-free space, Tong emphasized that it is open to any person who wants to decompress from a long week.
“FUDG is for anyone, and we will welcome anyone who walks through our doors,” he said.
