The first week of school can be overwhelming and exhausting for many students. As the perfect way for students to unwind, meet new people, and catch up with old friends, the Andrews University Student Association (AUSA) hosted their annual welcome back party, The Nest, on Saturday, Aug. 31, from 8:30 to 10:30 pm, behind the Andrews University Flag Mall. Alyssa Caruthers (junior, political science), AUSA’s executive vice president, shared that the main goal of The Nest is “to generate a sense of community and fun after the first week of school goes by for the students.”
Strings of lights illuminated the lawn, creating a cozy and welcoming atmosphere. Tables were set up around the lawn with a variety of flavors of frozen yogurt from Hoopla. In addition, students had the opportunity to take pictures with a Polaroid camera provided by AUSA.
Most of the event consisted of open mic performances by Andrews University students. People who wanted to participate could sign up to give a testimony, perform a song, or read poetry. Attendees came with blankets, pillows, and chairs to sit back and enjoy their peers' performances. A variety of songs were sung, including “Die With A Smile” by Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga and “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” by Meghan Trainor.
Pierce Barret (freshman, mechanical engineering) was moved to share a testimony. “...What encouraged me to give my testimony were these two songs: ‘I Believe’ by James Fortune and ‘I’ll Tell My Story’ by Sweet Symphony,” he said. “These songs helped me to see that I just went through a storm and I made it through and that God would one day give me a story to tell about how he reached down, pulled me up, and brought me through a circumstance.”
AUSA officers kept the energy alive by lighting sparklers and handing them out to students. Although sparklers were a planned part of the event, AUSA officers had originally hoped for something different. Samantha Flores (junior, music education), AUSA’s Social Vice President, shared: “My experience planning it was very interesting because my favorite event my freshman year was The Nest, and so I knew I needed to do it justice. We had fireworks my freshman year, but I knew we couldn’t afford it this year, so I decided to do the next best thing, which was sparklers.”
Some students found the sparklers to be a great idea and a highlight of the night. Marco Sciarabba (freshman, theology) shared, “My favorite moment was when I was just vibing with the people next to me lighting up the sparklers!”
At the end of the event, AUSA officers got on the stage and sang “Baby” by Justin Bieber and “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus to background tracks. Then, students gathered near the stage and sang with the AUSA officers. The energy of the event reached its peak as students jumped up and down, belting the lyrics of the well-known hits at the top of their lungs.
Overall, the AUSA office did a great job in accomplishing its goal of generating a sense of community and fun. The Nest was a terrific way to meet new people, display the variety of talent here at Andrews University, and get a pleasant break from a hectic week.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.