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Niagara University: Fun around campus

by niagarau
Thu, Feb 7th 2013 10:30 am

by Michael Cesarano

NU students, have you ever sat in your dorm rooms and said to yourselves, "I am just so bored"? There are very easy ways that you can make your boredom subside and increase your fun intake. There are events that are hosted by the CPB or Campus Programming Board. The events are designed to get students active on the NU campus and to get to know each other with fun-filled activities.

Grocery Bingo is a very popular event. The name of this game is pretty much self-explanatory. You can play bingo for groceries and even the occasional gift card. Included in every bag will be a Niagara University T-shirt. The groceries range from cookies to infamous Ramen noodles that we college students love and adore. However, the fun starts when two players have bingo at the same time. There are two choices the winners can choose. They must choose between a challenge or a dance off. Be prepared to watch participants pull moves that you have never seen before. The two challengers dance for a minute or two and the winner gets the goods.

Another thing that CPB likes doing is bringing hypnotists to the campus. Eric Mina was the latest to come to NU. On Jan. 28 , Eric was in Dunleavy Hall ready to blow minds. This man was a master at what he could do with his mind and to others. First, he picked his guinea pigs. Then it was off to the races. He had shaken their hands and instantly they were under his control. He had made these students think they were on "America's Next Top Model". These kids were walking as if on a catwalk and giving that signature look to the crowd. He then got the students to think they were on "Dancing with the Stars" singles competition.

For those who don't know what "Dancing with the Stars" is, it is a dance competition where celebrities are paired up with professional dancers and their goal is to win the disco ball trophy. So, Eric had convinced the selected few that they were playing for this trophy.

The last thing Mina did was convince the students they were dogs playing fetch, but not just any ordinary fetch. When he threw the ball and it hit someone, that person would just drop and start sleeping. That was just too funny of a trick, and he had the whole audience in the palm of his hand.

 "For this whole experience to be enjoyable, one must have an open mind and be willing to do try anything" said freshman Michael Paglici. His advice to others who haven't been to an event like this is to "Definitely go because it will be some of the best fun you have ever had."

Coming up in February is the ever popular open skate at Dwyer Arena. Students get to go skate on the same ice that our nationally ranked hockey team plays on. You can bring your own skates or you can borrow a pair from the rentals for the night. I also forgot to mention that this event is 100 percent free so there is no need to fret about money, students. This is a great activity to do with friends or you can even use it to lure that special someone on a date.

What if you don't know how to skate? Well, you are not the only one and skating is a quick and easy skill to pick up. Just don't rush anything and grab a friend if you are going down! This open skate will be on Friday, Feb. 22, at 10 p.m. and is a great way to mingle with friends on campus.

Another well-known event is the highly anticipated Casino Night. If you get a thrill from going to a casino you will enjoy this on-campus activity. Students will be able to enter the luck of the draw right on campus and not have to worry about an age limit. There are going to be many table games. Among the many games are poker, black jack, rummy, craps, roulette and "big-six". You will get the casino experience without even really setting foot in a real casino.

Also readers, how many times have you been told to never text and drive? Betting's chance, at least a thousand times, right? Well on March 22, students will be presented with the opportunity to step into a simulator that will put you behind the wheel. But the students will be texting for some amount and this will determine what will actually happen if done on an actual active driving space. This is a fun yet educational activity. If you are interested in learning more about the dangers of texting and driving, this is a very informative and fun way to gain knowledge about the issue.

One of the most fun events that is happening on campus this semester is the murder mystery on April 27, which is a Saturday. While watching this spectacle, the students and anyone else who goes to watch will get to enjoy a spaghetti dinner, which is completely free. What happens is that a group of these actors/actresses come and perform a life-like murder, which is kind of like a real life "Clue." The performance and professionalism of the actors will keep you guessing who the killer is until the very end of the show.

"It keeps you on the edge of your seat" says Shawn Chatmon, lead community advisor for O'Shea Hall.

Another thing the show does is get the audience involved a little bit. They get the audience to take guesses during the show. This is some great fun at no cost to you, so grab a friend and go see the murder mystery.

All of these events are free to students. So if you are a money saver, have no fear. Instead of sitting in your room at night and saying to yourself "I'm so bored," walk around campus and stop by one of these fun-filled events. Also, don't forget to stop by the Gallagher Center on Feb. 10 at 2 p.m., as the Purple Eagles take on Canisius in the pivotal clash between two rivals in the MAAC. The day before you can see the men's hockey team take on Canisius as well in Dwyer Arena at 7 p.m.; so step on out of your dorms and experience the night life at NU and all of its great events.

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