Liv Degendorfer

Laughter and the famous Bill Nye the Science Guy guitar riff could be heard echoing through the halls of Robbins Science Center as Hamline’s Chemistry Club put on their Ink-spiration T-shirt-making event. This is the club’s first spring event, and they wanted to host something fun and relaxing for students to ease into the semester.
The event doubled as an opportunity to discuss the science behind the tie-dye-like process the shirts undergo: ink chromatography.
“Chromatography is how things spread. So when we talk about ink chromatography, it means we are using the ink from the Sharpies to make a design, and then we drop the alcohol solvent to cause it to spread throughout and create the pattern,” Vice President of the Chemistry Club, junior Sara Dooley said.
An array of colors were provided along with a broad selection of white shirts. The event could be described as a leisurely and fun science experiment, something chemistry-related that could also draw non-majors in. It was easy and accessible to everyone on campus, and who would not love a free shirt?
“It was a way to get everybody back together at the beginning of the semester for a fun, creative event,” Dooley said. “It’s like a stress reliever because everyone is going through the first rounds of tests. We wanted to host something that let students make something, have fun and hang out with friends.”
The time slot of 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. allowed for busy STEM students to drop in after their labs and unwind before dinner. Groups of friends came in with backpacks in hand, excitedly greeting the ones in the room and grabbing a blank shirt, endless possibilities waiting for them. Even if students attended very briefly, they were still provided with a moment of ease.
“We tend to make events structured so you can come stop in for a little bit. STEM majors tend to be really busy,” Dooley said.
However, there ended up being many people working on their shirts all at once.
“If you can’t stay for the full two hours, [we have it so] you can just pop in [for] 15 minutes whenever you can,” she said.
Having so many STEM majors in the same spot at the same time was nice to see.
“Sometimes [STEM majors] don’t really take the time to be creative and have this kind of fun,” Chemistry Club President Hailey Brady said, in regards to the hectic schedule many STEM students experience. “It’s a nice break… It’s kind of therapeutic in a way.”
Many students struggle with time management regarding their academic, work, and social life. Setting aside time to do something relaxing or taking a break is crucial. Chemistry Club’s ink chromatography event on Feb. 15 was a stellar execution for providing students with a place to have this break and get in touch with their creative side.