Matador Nights Gets Students Stoked for Fall 2024 Semester
By Teagan Davidge
The retro-themed Matador Nights, hosted by the University Student Union (USU) at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), took the campus nightlife of more than 2500 students to the next level with a roller rink, Roundup carnival ride, professional DJ and much more.
“Matador Nights this year was a fun-filled immersive experience, allowing students to see what the University Student Union is all about,” said John Pangan, event lead and USU Programs event assistant. “I hope that the students really got to know the USU and know the type of events we host.”
Students began to line up outside of the entrance near the SRC about an hour before the event began, eagerly anticipating the activities inside.
“From the start of the event, you could feel the excitement as students walked through the doors,” said Pangan.
Upon entering, Matadors first encountered caricature artists and a photo booth, both available to capture the memory of the night with friends.
Fruity mocktails provided by the Klotz Student Health Center were a hit, quenching the thirst of Matadors with flavors like strawberry, pineapple and mango. Food vendors also passed out free hotdogs, pretzels, churros and popcorn for attendees to enjoy.
Student highlights included the claw machine area in the Northridge Center where they competed to grab stuffed toys of various characters out of the traditional arcade game.
“The arcade was my favorite part. My friend got a really cute toy, and there was absolutely no line!” said Emily Martinez, a marketing major at CSUN.
Matadors also enjoyed dancing to DJ sets by DJ Precise and OLEA. The dance floor stayed packed all night long, with the crowd of students jumping and waving their hands to the pounding beats.
“The claw machine, where you pick up the toys, was fun. And the DJ was fun too!” said Dhruv Chauhan, a graduate student studying computer science.
The DJ performances were accompanied by colorful laser light shows and artificial fog blasts that drew students to join in the festivities.
“The dance floor was super cool, so that was fun,” said Martin Barrios, a Cinema and Television Arts major. “DJ Precise is the GOAT!”
Some of the most popular attractions included the fast-spinning Roundup carnival ride, which was met by a continuous line of students waiting to jump on, and the roller rink that featured retro mood lighting for students to glide under with friends.
This event was made a success by a team of hard working USU Student Assistant Employees, their supervisors and managers. Multiple USU departments spent countless hours preparing to put on the largest USU event of the year.
“I really loved planning this event, as this is what I want to do long term, but overall, [my favorite part] was the final product that I was able to present to our fellow Matadors,” Pangan said. “It was so much fun. I really enjoyed taking on this big event and can’t wait to do more!”
