When first walking through the crowded room filled with students eagerly making noise and playing games with their friends, the excitement is clear as they prepare for another round of fun at their respective tables. Some people played bingo or poker, and others simply gathered around to savor the feeling of the night and the taste of their food and drinks. The setting of the room was that of a casino, but, believe it or not, it did not take place in the electric city of Las Vegas, it took place right on Seattle Pacific University’s campus. 

On Friday, March 31, Royal Brougham Pavillion was filled with students looking for an enjoyable release from the stressful energy of the first week of the spring quarter.

This event did not take place on just another average night at the university, but rather, the spring celebration of the quarterly First Friday. The event was the third and final First Friday of the 2022-2023 school year put on by SPU’s Student Union Board for all students to enjoy. 

With previous First Fridays, as well as other big campus-wide events that STUB has organized over this past year, they have garnered a reputation for creating fun events that attract a lot of students, and, once again, they managed to meet and even exceed expectations. This time around, STUB transformed Royal Brougham into an authentic-feeling casino.

Inside the event, students found themselves surrounded by gaming tables led by residence life coordinators and other organizers. People quickly gathered together to start playing the games. Almost immediately after the night began, nearly every table was filled with students engaging in the games and hyping each other up, making the night even more authentic as they became more and more invested. 

Among the games available were classic casino games like poker, which allowed players to gamble with chips provided, an exciting yet anxious experience as they got deeper into each round. On the other side of the casino, many students found themselves playing a game of bingo, which filled the room with the leaders calling out numbers and students happily yelling out whenever they filled out their cards, creating a noisy yet exciting environment.

Though most students who came to the event could be found sitting at a table playing a game, many others could be seen in one of the many long lines inside and outside the casino. Both a food truck and a table for mocktails were at the event which was kept busy with hoards of customers throughout the night, serving as a testament to STUB’s dedication to the event.

Among the students who attended and enjoyed the event was Peter Wick, a third-year communications student, who relayed his favorite parts of the night and what he felt made his time at the event worth it.

“I liked the mocktails, I just thought those were really great. I also really liked the ticket system and how if you win enough in the games, you can win a prize later on. I just thought that was great, and I thought it was a great event,” Wick said.

Another student, Charisma Smith, a third-year exercise science student, not only enjoyed the event itself but also liked seeing all of the student participation and spirit that came with it.

“I thought the event overall was great, and I loved seeing all of the students show up all dressed up in their tuxes and that kind of thing,” Smith said.

Anthony Hernandez, a third-year applied human biology student, also attended the event with his friends and thought that STUB pulled out all the stops to bring a creative and new event to SPU’s campus that wowed the student body. 

His thoughts summarized the culmination of STUB’s efforts in creating another memorable and entertaining time.

“I liked the environment and how cutting-edge it seemed. I think that STUB did a great job. They were trying to make an event that students could get into and have fun at, and it seemed like they were, and I think everyone had a great time,” Hernandez said.

By the end of the night, students left Royal Brougham exhilarated and satisfied with their night out, with many telling their friends their favorite parts of the night or reliving the first game they won, or, for those lucky enough, their second or third win. With the passing of another First Friday, students were able to create a memorable night for their year and start the spring quarter with a little bit of lucky energy.