Pace Hosts Fear Factor

The Fear Factor logo. Photo courtesy of Ember Sections.

The Fear Factor logo. Photo courtesy of Ember Sections.

David Paulstich, Featured Writer

Pace’s Programming Board hosted Fear Factor to test people’s fears and see how far people will go when their limits are pushed in Kessel’s Boudreau Lounge on Thurs., Mar. 30.

Vice President of the Programming Board Amber Borrero and her staff wanted to do something different, thus inspiring Fear Factor because it was something unique and has never happened at Pace.

It differs from the TV show “Fear Factor,” however. The event stepped it down a notch on how grotesque the challenges were setting up stations where students unknowingly tasted different types of baby food to try to see whether they can be pushed to their limit.

“In one station, there is baby food but the students don’t know what the baby food is; some of the flavors are prune, apples and chicken, apples and banana,” Borrero said. “Another station is who can keep their hands in ice cold water the longest.”

Some stations aren’t entirely terrifying, according to Borrero, but it can definitely make your taste buds feel grossed out and make your hands hurt for a while if your competition wants to hold their hands in the ice-cold water for a long time.

“The odd mystery game is another station that I believe students will be grossed out from,” Borrero said. “We have pancake mix, chunky tomato sauce, oatmeal, and slimy gummy worms, and the goal is to get the objects out the bowl. To me, this was one of the most disgusting stations [because] the feeling of oatmeal mix in your hands is disgusting. Definitely not the greatest feeling in the world.”

The most intense challenge was the hot sauce challenge where students tasted hot sauce by the spoonful without the help of water or ice.

“Another station that will probably burn some students’ tongues is the hot sauce challenge,” Borrero said. “There is mild, medium, and hot.”

Borrero wanted to make the event as gross and as fearful as possible and within school boundaries. Therefore, Pace required a safety waiver to be signed for some events in order to have the stations set up.

“As a kid, I loved the show but would never be able to do it after looking at people be in a box with a bunch of spiders because spiders were my biggest fear,” said Borrero, who loved watching the show on TV.