Mavs celebrate new year at Club Maverick

Welcome to a brand new year, Mavericks!

Thanks to Minnesota State’s Welcome Week, the past few days have been filled with nothing but fun activities, games, food and, of course, a lot of moving in action. Welcome Week has fully run its course and has helped introduce new students to MSU after a long, hot summer. 

What better way to let loose than to dance the night away at Club Maverick? 

Club Maverick made its return Thursday where incoming and returning students lined up outside the CSU Ballroom to enter the exclusive event to celebrate the beginning of the new academic year. 

Sophomore Daria Oelkers, Vice President of the Student Events Team and the lead organizer of the event, shared how Club Maverick has been a long-standing tradition on campus.

“It’s always been so big when it comes to Welcome Week,” Oelkers said. “We are collabing with the Maverick DJ club this year, so we have multiple live DJs.”

Club Maverick may be a late-night extravagant party but it has mainly become a safe and fun way to help new students transition into college life by helping them relax with other peers and fully get a sense of Minnesota State’s student community. 

“In my first year, it wasn’t really my cup of tea, but now I’m a sophomore and it’s like a really big party thing. It’s just celebrating the returning students and incoming students so you’re just having fun before classes start,” said Oelkers.

Several key features that transformed the event feel into an actual club were the partying lights and multiple disco balls music paired with the wave of many LED glow wands that were given out to the first 500 students that had used the Student Events Team’s free texting service. 

Refreshing mocktails such as sangria punch were offered outside the ballroom where students could lounge and mingle with new people along a photo booth where everyone could dress up together and pose for pictures. 

Juniors Dulce Salazar and Zoey Johnson have attended Club Maverick in the past and have greatly enjoyed it, noting how the fun experience can help all students unwind before the start of classes.

“I think it’s really fun, especially if you go with a good group of friends, and people just make it fun. Form a little circle and everyone’s super hyped and it’s fun,” Salazar said. 

“I think they played better music this year than previous years,” Johnson said. “I feel like you can’t just move in the Sunday before. You have to go to a bunch of events and just enjoy yourself before school starts.” 

Oelkers says the Student Events Team has more events planned throughout the year, including the annual Pool Party that is held at Spring Lake Park on the second day of classes and MSU’s Homecoming week, saying how these big events can be healthy for students when college can start to become overwhelming. 

“It really definitely relaxes the brain. We have more fun time with friends and classmates. You definitely get a break from school.” she said. 

The new year may have just started but there is still more fun to be had. For more information on more upcoming events throughout the year, visit the Student Events Team page at mnsu.edu/StudentEventsTeam 

Photo caption: Club Maverick is a staple at MSU, allowing students to meet others before school starts. Students got to mingle, enjoy mocktails and listen to music to fully welcome them to campus Nate Tilahun/The Reporter

Write to Anahi Zuniga at anahi.zuniga@mnsu.edu