By Around 160 to 180 Carroll students sprinted across St. Charles Lawn at 5:05 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, as the annual Easter Egg Scramble returned with 5,000 eggs.
Organizers say a new prize display in the upper Cube helped boost participation.
The event, hosted by Carroll Student Activities (CSA), lasted just 52 seconds, but required weeks of preparation.
“The CSA committee is made up of about 12 students,” said Patrick Harris, director of Student Activities. “They met for four Wednesdays for an hour stuffing eggs for the event.”
On the day of the scramble, a smaller crew handled the setup.
“It took five of us about an hour and a half to put out all the eggs,” Harris said. “The event lasts about 52 seconds.”
While the scramble itself followed tradition, organizers introduced one new element this year: a prize display in the upper Cube. Harris said showcasing the prizes ahead of time helped draw a larger crowd.
“We did display the prizes in the upper Cube this year,” he said. “This allowed students to see what was up for grabs, and I think it is the reason we saw more students taking part in the event this year.”
Students lined up along the lawn before the countdown, waiting for the signal to sprint across the field and grab as many eggs as possible. The scramble ended almost instantly, leaving students comparing their finds and checking for prize slips.
Kaden Cox, a sophomore nursing major, said he joined the scramble as a break from studying and a chance to spend time with friends.
“It’s a super fun and unique event that encourages being playful,” Cox said. “The atmosphere at 5 was electric – everyone was in their running stance, music was playing, and people were talking strategy. It’s a great study break during a busy spring.”
Sophia Bengochea, a junior psychology major from Glasgow, Montana, said her strategy was to “run as fast as I can to the top and work down.”
She said she “didn’t get anything, just candy,” but still enjoyed the rush.
“It was electric with so much excitement, and I didn’t realize how fast everything disappeared,” Bengochea said.
The Easter Egg Scramble has been a campus tradition since 2007, and organizers say its mix of speed, excitement and prizes keeps students returning each spring.
