{"id":411619,"date":"2026-08-20T06:34:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T06:34:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/411619\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T06:34:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T06:34:12","slug":"waffleopolis-brings-bittersweet-reflections-for-uta-seniors-campus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/411619\/","title":{"rendered":"Waffleopolis brings bittersweet reflections for UTA seniors | Campus"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>                        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAQAAAADCAQAAAAe\/WZNAAAAEElEQVR42mM8U88ABowYDABAxQPltt5zqAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" alt=\"A waffle is topped with vanilla ice cream, sprinkles and chocolate sauce.\" class=\"img-responsive lazyload full blur\" width=\"1763\" height=\"1175\" data- data-\/><\/p>\n<p>             <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6a86872c5380e.image.jpg\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"133\" width=\"200\"\/><\/p>\n<p>A waffle is topped with ice cream and sprinkles during Waffleopolis on Aug. 19 at Brazos Park. The event was a collaboration among multiple campus departments.<\/p>\n<p>                                    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theshorthorn.com\/users\/profile\/General%20Mason%20Starks\" rel=\"author nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Photo by General Mason Starks<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Thirty minutes before Waffleopolis was set to begin, crowds were already forming around the waffle tents at Brazos Park Wednesday night; no waffles, ice cream or toppings in sight. <\/p>\n<p>Bright orange and dark blue tables covered the area, colorful balloons tied to chairs and tables swayed in the wind. Students continued to migrate, anticipating the long-time UTA tradition. <\/p>\n<p>As the sun began to set, music announced the beginning of waffle madness. Students moved through the lines, getting a waffle, ice cream and the usual toppings: sprinkles, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, syrup and cherries. <\/p>\n<p>                        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAQAAAADCAQAAAAe\/WZNAAAAEElEQVR42mM8U88ABowYDABAxQPltt5zqAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" alt=\"A photo of Waffleopolis attendees dancing in a line. \" class=\"img-responsive lazyload full blur\" width=\"1763\" height=\"1175\" data- data-\/><\/p>\n<p>             <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6a8684f13e772.image.jpg\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"133\" width=\"200\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Attendees gather and form a conga line during Waffleopolis on Aug. 19 at Brazos Park. The event provided free waffles as well as music, glow-in-the-dark sticks and tables for people to gather and eat with friends.<\/p>\n<p>                                    Photo by Treyson Abe<\/p>\n<p>Waffleopolis, hosted by Housing and Residence Life in partnership with dining, Student Activities and more, continues to bring students together for a sweet treat after 27 years, but for some the treat is bittersweet. For many seniors, this is their last Waffleopolis event. <\/p>\n<p>Looking at the event retrospectively, aerospace engineering senior Jaeden Sizelove said Waffleopolis has helped him see the community around him in a different light. He said as a freshman, he was amazed by the event and the students who seemed to know everything. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cNow, it\u2019s like \u2018Man, this is really cool,\u2019\u201d Sizelove said. \u201cCause I\u2019m not new to this anymore.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>He said this year\u2019s event felt more relaxed compared to when he was a freshman because back then he felt stressed and a little lonely since he didn\u2019t know anyone yet. <\/p>\n<p>                        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAQAAAADCAQAAAAe\/WZNAAAAEElEQVR42mM8U88ABowYDABAxQPltt5zqAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" alt=\"A photo of an event goer holding a plate with a waffle during the Waffleopolis event. \" class=\"img-responsive lazyload full blur\" width=\"1763\" height=\"1175\" data- data-\/><\/p>\n<p>             <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6a8684e7629f0.image.jpg\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"133\" width=\"200\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Aerospace engineering senior Jaeden Sizelove talks to his friends while holding waffles during Waffleopolis on Aug. 19 at Brazos Park. The event is a campus tradition that takes place during Maverick Stampede.<\/p>\n<p>                                    Photo by Treyson Abe<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy freshman year, I didn\u2019t meet too many people, but I did meet like one or two people and they were my friends for that rest of the semester,\u201d Sizelove said. <\/p>\n<p>His last waffle at Waffleopolis was unusually big \u2014 bigger than most, topped with chocolate ice cream. <\/p>\n<p>Education senior Lizeth Herrera met some of the girls who later became her sorority sisters through Sigma Lambda Gamma at her first Waffleopolis. Over the years, Herrera said she has made great memories during the events. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m happy to be here because this is one of my favorite events, but I\u2019m very sad because it is the last one,\u201d she said. \u201cI meet a lot of people every year I come here.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>                        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAQAAAADCAQAAAAe\/WZNAAAAEElEQVR42mM8U88ABowYDABAxQPltt5zqAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" alt=\"A crowd of students standing. \" class=\"img-responsive lazyload full blur\" width=\"1763\" height=\"1175\" data- data-\/><\/p>\n<p>             <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/6a8687319b17f.image.jpg\" alt=\"\" aria-hidden=\"true\" loading=\"lazy\" height=\"133\" width=\"200\"\/><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Students gather and dance during Waffleopolis on Aug. 19 at Brazos Park. Attendees received glow-in-the-dark necklaces.<\/p>\n<p>                                    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theshorthorn.com\/users\/profile\/General%20Mason%20Starks\" rel=\"author nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Photo by General Mason Starks<\/a><\/p>\n<p>In an environment that can wear people down, the event has provided Herrera with an outlet to slow down in the early part of the semester. She said Waffleopolis provided her with a simple way to talk to people with no pressure. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s pretty easy to make conversations; you can just talk about the waffles,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n<p>Public health senior Iris Nguyen and nursing senior Effua Jordan met at their first Waffleopolis as freshmen and instantly clicked, Jordan said. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI came by myself originally, so I was just hoping to make some friends, and I made a lifelong friend,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n<p>For both girls, Waffleopolis has been a yearly tradition. Nguyen\u2019s eyes misted as she remarked on the good memories shared with friends. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m gonna miss this a lot,\u201d Nguyen said. \u201cThis is where I met my friends.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>@atclements03<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theshorthorn.com\/news\/campus\/waffleopolis-brings-bittersweet-reflections-for-uta-seniors\/mailto:news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A waffle is topped with ice cream and sprinkles during Waffleopolis on Aug. 19 at Brazos Park. 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