We wanted to change things up this time.

SLNers are on to us with our “interviews” and “trips to the aquarium.” For the reveal of Canada’s Luckiest Student 3 (CLS3), we stepped up our game. And the number of winners, with a handful of runner-up winners.

We also took a risk.

We announced that the winner was from the University of Waterloo. Over 2,000 U of W students participated in CLS3. So we invited them out to the campus pub to reveal the winner in real time. We provided free food, drinks and a whack of giveaways. We had no guarantee, but were relieved when the winner RSVP’d to attend. We then messaged everyone that had RSVP’d to let them know that the winner was in their midst.

Melissa Lopes, a University of Waterloo student, summed up the excitement thusly:

“If I’m the general consensus for the mood around UW, then it’s tense, anxious, excited, and flabbergasted all at the same time,” she said. “I can’t believe that the winner might be someone who I share a lecture hall with! Heck, it might even be me, which is the craziest part!”

And unbeknownst to the winner, we were driving 30 members of his family and closest friends from across Southern Ontario to surprise him.

But before I give it all away, watch the magic unfold:

Reveal Video: Announcing the Winner of CLS3

Congratulations Daniel Pracsovics!

We want to thank each and every SLNer for participating in Canada’s Luckiest Student. It’s because of you that we get to create awesome.

Stay tuned for more, like Free Ride which launches March 1!

Photos courtesy of the author.