The Cougar Eye

Just how big was the Ferris wheel that rolled onto BYU campus for early September’s Involvapalooza and the launch of Student Wellness (see p. 8)? Well, it wasn’t exactly the London Eye; still, its height rivaled the nearby HFAC, and it was tall enough to tower over the adjacent climbing wall. It was monumental enough to attract attention on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and various student blogs. It was big enough to provide more than 2,000 rides on its 12 seats during two days on campus. It was enticing enough to help draw more traffic than ever to the Involvapalooza’s club booths (grouped this year into eight wellness areas). It was extraordinary enough that students waited up to an hour for a chance to whirl on the wheel. And its upper reaches were lofty enough to give riders the illusion of solitude—enough solitude, that is, for at least one documented first kiss. |Photography by Bradley H. Slade (BFA ’94)