Aaron Vehling

Watching a movie with your friends in the theater or at home may be common, but not everybody would think to watch a movie while submerged in the water.

This was the case at the University Recreation-sponsored dive-in movie Friday night in McPhee pool.

The pool opened for recreational use at 7 p.m. where students could enjoy a break from the daily hassles of student life.ÿThey were able to chat with their friends, swim, use the diving board and play water basketball.ÿThe movie started at 8 p.m.

“Jaws” played on a large movie projector screen complete with a sound system so the students could receive the full effects of the tantalizing music.

“There is nothing better on a Friday night than sitting in a tube … watching the tube,”ÿfreshman Kelsey Allenstein said.

Most students observed the movie from the water, rather than on the observation deck, but it was available for those who didn’t want to watch the movie in the water.

Student Services Program Manager Lisa Schuetz helped organize the event and said the planning began last semester when the Special Events Program decided to “try something different.”

“Playing the movie ‘Jaws’ was fitting since the event was held in the McPhee pool,” Schuetz said.

Advertising helped some students find out about the event.

University Recreation sent flyers to every dorm room, posted the event on their Web site, on bulletin boards and in Hilltop Recreation Center to help spread the word to students about the movie event that has never been done before at Eau Claire, Schuetz said.

“I was looking for something fun to do this weekend, so I went on the University Recreation Web site and found the event posted,” sophomore Jared Roeker said. “I thought it would be a lot of fun.”

Freshman Ashlee Mattson said she had similar thoughts.

“I like to be scared, and this event sounded like fun,” she said.

Safety was one issue involved with planning the event.

Two certified lifeguards were on duty throughout the event, and there was a limit of 50 people due to safety precautions, Schuetz said.

“Because of safety, we wanted everyone to have enough space in the pool to watch the movie,” Schuetz said.

The emergency lights were the only lights left on when the event began.

This proved to be a good thing for some students.

“‘Jaws’ is a great movie, but I think I would have gotten so scared that I would have fallen out of my tube if the lights were all the way off,” sophomore Amy Dettling said.

When the movie was finished, there was a raffle for souvenirs from University Recreation, such as t-shirts, cups and water bottles.

The pool was also open again for recreational use to the students afterwards.

“It isn’t too often that you go to a free event and get free stuff too,” sophomore Karly Blanchette said.

Many students said they enjoyed the dive-in movie and agreed that the fact it was free was the best part.ÿ

“It was a fun event because we could have fun with our friends and it was free,” freshman Erin Kennedy said.

Sophomore Jake Schulz said he agreed the event was a good idea.

“The dive-in movie was such a good idea,” he said. “It should be cut out, glued to a magnet and stuck on the refrigerator for everyone to see.”