The first of three ISU AfterDark events this semester is set to take place Friday in the Memorial Union.
Iowa State students and their guests are invited to the event, which starts at 9 p.m. and has free activities in several spaces of the Memorial Union.
Avery Smith, a junior in marketing and the ISU AfterDark president, said the event is a great opportunity for students looking to make friends.
“If you’re a freshman trying to make friends, there are a lot of things to do, and it’s just a good way to do stuff on campus instead of sitting in your dorm alone on a Friday night,” Smith said.
Tropical Smoothie Cafe will be available for free while supplies last, starting at 10 p.m., so Smith recommends arriving early.
“My advice is to arrive early because it’s typically our longest line, and people walk away without food,” Smith said.
Events are located in many rooms of the Memorial Union. Two events will take place in Durham Great Hall:
- Magician Ben Seidman, seen on Netflix’s Brainchild, at 9 p.m.
- Actor and Musician Steve Burns, known from Blue’s Clues and Young Sheldon, at 11 p.m.
“We collaborate with SUB (Student Union Board) to choose our Great Hall entertainment,” Smith said. “They give us a list of people and we’ll choose who we think will have the most traction.”
The second floor will have:
- Bingo, hosted by Cardinal and Goal’d Tailgate
- Poster Invasion, in the Campanile Room
- Photo Booth, in the South Ballroom Lobby
“We also have co-sponsors who come in, and we will bring in different clubs who will put on, like, dance classes if it’s the dance club or different things like that,” Smith said.
Some of the activities that are sponsored by student groups are:
- Gaming and Esports, sponsored by the Gaming & Esports club
- Drop-In Dance Class, sponsored by the Motion Sickness Dance Team
- Photocard Deco & Friendship Bracelets, sponsored by the K-Pop club
Some events held on the lower level of the Memorial Union include:
- CyBowl & Billiards
- M-Shop Karaoke, hosted by the First-Year Council
- Animal Keychains Craft, in the Workspace
- Jayde & Deam Exhibit, in the MU Art Gallery
Two more ISU AfterDark events are scheduled to take place Oct. 3 and Nov. 7.
