Students decorate bookmarks with stickers, beads and more at the Bookmark Bar event hosted by Campus Activities Board at UCF’s Foxtail Coffee Co. on Tuesday.
Maria Fernanda Valente Pereira
Students painted, decorated and flipped through books at Foxtail Coffee Co. in the John T. Washington Center during the Campus Activities Board’s Bookmark Bar on Tuesday.
Bookmark Bar, hosted from 4 to 7 p.m., invited students to bring their favorite books and take part in hands-on activities, including custom bookmark-making, bracelet crafting, painting coasters and decorating wooden frames.
A themed drinks menu from Foxtail Coffee was also available for purchase, adding to the atmosphere.
CAB Director of Fine Arts Nyla Julmisse organized the event. She said she aimed to create a more niche, interest-based experience for students who enjoy reading and crafts.
“This is my personal event,” said Julmisse, a senior accounting major. “It’s my job to create a curated experience around crafts and arts. I personally really like books, and I think it’s just a really cozy theme.”
Julmisse said the setting played a role in shaping the concept, combining a cafe environment with a book-inspired theme to encourage conversation and connection.
“I heard some of the students talking amongst themselves about their favorite books, so that made me really happy,” Julmisse said. “I wanted people who enjoy that to feel recognized.”
While CAB often hosts large-scale, high-energy events, Julmisse emphasized the importance of smaller, more targeted programming.
“I think people like to see events curated to their interests,” she said. “Even though everyone is welcome, it’s nice when certain groups feel like something was made with them in mind.”
For students, the event offered both a creative outlet and a break from academic routines.
Karina Anirude, senior criminal justice major, said she was drawn to the event after seeing it on CAB’s Instagram page.
“I really like to read, and I saw that it was book-themed, so I wanted to come,” Anirude said. “I don’t really do much crafting on my own, so it’s nice coming to events like this where they provide all the materials.”
She added that CAB events play an important role in encouraging students to step out of their routines.
“I think they’re a great way to get out more and sometimes meet new people,” Anirude said.
Freshman graphic design major Jessica Gruny decorates a bookmark at the Bookmark Bar event hosted by the Campus Activities Board at UCF’s Foxtail Coffee Co. on Tuesday.
Maria Fernanda Valente Pereira
Jessica Gruny, freshman graphic design major, said the crafting aspect was what stood out most to her.
“I love crafts, so I love stuff like this,” Gruny said. “The theme definitely makes it fun.”
Gruny described the event as a welcome pause from her coursework.
“My life is very focused on school, so this is like a nice relaxation,” she said.
The book-inspired event created a calm alternative to more traditional campus programming, one that blended creativity, comfort and community.