It was not a normal Sunday night at Sonoma State University, but many students were patiently awaiting the biggest school carnival of the year to start, an event that has been happening for 18 years. 

Many Sonoma State students look forward to Big Nite so they can enjoy the fun activities Residential Life and Associated Student Productions worked hard to put on.

 Various activities such as rides, games, rock climbing and food were all taking place in three different locations, which many students didn’t know about, according to Mo Philips. 

“We need to find better ways for people to know that stuff is not only happening in the parking lot. We have a lot of crafts, food, activities etc. in the Rec Center and Student Center as well,” Phillips said.

Big Nite included many fun activities at each different location, allowing students to get the best first impression of many organizations on campus. 

Some of the tables included   different Greek life organzations, the writing club, cheer and sports teams.

“The goal of Big Nite and our role and direction with Campus Life Programming is to help provide community, spirit and tradition on campus. All of the events during the ‘Seawolf Days Week of Welcome’ are designed to bring people together, to show off campus where students can come to be social and get active. 

“Everything we do throughout the year, educational and social, are geared towards helping to create a positive, fun, social and community-driven experience for the students,” Phillips said.

Phillips also stressed the amount of people it takes to execute an event as large as Big Nite, from culinary services to the local business that donate.

“Big Nite is an event that takes hundreds of people to pull off,” Phillips said. 

Big Nite allows students to have something to look forward to and to kick- off the year. The event itself has evolved over the years.

“Personally I think Big Nite is a positive, fun event. I like how you can look into clubs that you might not have known existed and meet new people,” said junior Sara Van Wagoner.

Adrian Luna, a junior who works at the Rec Center stated that he wishes there was more carnival food.

“It’s a good way to get a feel for the campus,” Luna said.

“My favorite part was getting to meet people from different grades. I think Big Nite altogether was really cool because no other college that I know has something like that,” freshman Marsala Enloe said.

Over the past 18 years, Big Nite has progressed from hosting 300 people to over 4000.