Amid the stress of finals week, Oklahoma State University students found an unconventional way to decompress: a giant leaf pile on campus courtesy of the school's landscaping crew. The landscapers at OSU created the leafy wonder, which measured around 16,000 cubic feet, as a response to a student social media request for "re-leaf" from finals." “This is the biggest event of the century for sure,” a student said after doing a front flip into the pile, in a statement given to KFOR.
John Lee, the director of Landscaping Services at OSU, said his team could make it happen within three day, following the students' online request for such a leaf pile. They gathered leaves from across the central campus to construct the impressive pile in front of the Edmon Low Library. The pile stood tall despite Oklahoma's wind, providing a playful escape for students. One student, buried up to his knees in leaves, acknowledged the effort of the groundskeepers, stating to KFOR, "They put some work into putting this all in here."
The idea originated from a student's social media request, which caught the attention of Lee who saw it as an opportunity to create a fun and memorable experience for students. The landscaping workers started compiling the leaves on a Monday afternoon, which quickly gained traction on social media and even local news outlets. “This was an opportunity," Lee said, "that something we were doing anyway to keep campus beautiful, we could turn around and create a very unique environment for students to enjoy,” in an interview with O'Colly.
Sophomore Andrew Dickson, despite initial hesitation, soon took a running jump into the pile, saying it reminded him of fall days with his mom. “It felt kind of funny at first, and then I was like, ‘Oh, this is actually really fun; it’s like a huge pile,’” Dickson told O'Colly. Similarly, Anna Woodfin, who attended the event with friends, found it to be a perfect break from the rigor of dead week. “It’s so funny and silly and something we can remember forever, but also have a good break from finals and studying,” Woodfin said in an interview with O'Colly.
