This past Thursday at the Alumni Amphitheater, students gathered for Open Mic Night which was hosted by ASP (Associated Student Productions). There in the amphitheater, people shared their musical abilities, poems, and whatever their hearts desired, such as stand-up comedy.

Alex Boyle, who is a sophomore mathematics major who runs for the school’s distance running teams, attended the event and recited two poems. Boyle really enjoyed the night as a whole and her favorite part was getting to see the talents and creativity of everyone else that performed.  When talking with the STAR about poetry, she said really enjoys the diversity and creativity of poems as well as having the power to express so much in so many ways.  Boyle also emphasized how poetry allows her to unravel some of the craziness that she feels while being able to express it for others. When asked about what she takes away from performing in front of an audience she said, “Performing gave me the opportunity to put myself out there and step outside of my comfort zone.”  She also noted how it made her feel confident and part of a community, even if it was just for a brief moment.

Another student, who performed an array of songs, was singer Chris Daniels.  He is a junior who recently transferred to Sonoma State.  Daniels practices his singing at home as well as performing here and there and he hopes to join the school choir next semester.  Aside from his practices, he likes the open mic nights as they serve as a great outlet for him to perform for other people.  Daniels conversed with the STAR about the influence of public performances and he noted how it has helped him greatly in many other aspects of his life such as public speaking, effective communication, and performance etiquette. He really enjoyed performing in front of the tight-knit group and said “Something I like with smaller, more intimate crowds is that we kind of have that sense of comradery.” Daniels’s music filled the crowd with great vibes and visible serotonin.  Asides from serenading the listeners, he engaged everyone by having them sing at certain parts to enhance the music which was a really nice touch.

Senior psychology major Sara Wenger was one of the many people in the audience. This was her first time attending the open mic event and she talked about how she enjoyed the positive and supportive atmosphere of the event.  Wenger hit the nail on the head with this observation as no matter how each person performed, they were met with roaring cheers and widespread applause.  Wenger also said, “It was fun to see everyone support the performers and to see everyone enjoy themselves.”

ASP hosts two of these Open Mic Nights per semester and they have a list of activities for students to partake in.  Associated Students (AS) host tabling each Tuesday near the student center where they inform students about their activities as well as hand out postcards that contain monthly event schedules.