Kicking off the 2011-2012 school year with an attendance exceeding 3,000 students, the Late Knights event made a large appearance on the UCF campus Friday night.
Brittani Hernandez, a planner for the Late Knights events stated, "Friday's event was one of the most attended Late Knights event to take place." Most events typically attract 1,000 to 2,000 students with the first event of the year always having the highest rate of attendance. With this year's student enrollment having increased since previous years, the attendance was inevitably larger.
On Friday night, the large crowd of students scattered between inside the arena, the arena lobby and the outside lawn. Inside the arena students gathered to listen and dance to the music being played by a DJ onstage. Braver students took their dancing to the stage and were shown on the large projection screens hanging in the arena.
The areas outside the arena housed numerous activities such as a photo booth, Dance Dance Revolution, Fliptastic Photos, inflatable Twister, PopNoggins, rodeo bull ride, an arts and crafts area where student could design their own masks, and customizable trucker hats and at midnight food was served.
"I wish I would have began attending these events my freshman year, it is such a fun way to interact with people and do something where I do not have to spend money for once," first time Late Knights attendee Emily Bedoya, a senior studying international relations said.
Friday's Late Knights event took a month and a half to plan therefore being in the works since July. Late Knights relies heavily on the work of volunteers and Friday's event had over a hundred. Late Knights uses social media such as Facebook to recruit volunteers. Emails are also sent out to sororities and freshmen students to try to obtain the amount of volunteers needed.
During the event students are given a survey to fill out, which assists the coordinators in the planning of future events. The surveys also evaluate the effectiveness of the program, considering Late Knights was established to engage students in a safe but fun environment rather than what can sometimes be the dangerous environment off campus.
Lauren Brewer, a Late Knights planner that is in charge of surveys, said some questions included on the survey are: "How did you hear about Late Knights?", "What would you be doing if you weren't here?", "Has Late Knights effected you in any way?", "How to improve Late Knights?", as well as questions about student's alcohol usage.
According to Priscilla Delgado, a junior studying business administration, the event was a success.
"Once again, Late Knights outdid itself and provided an awesome night with endless activities," she said.
Delgado also recommended that anyone who hasn't been to an event yet attend the next late nights event in two weeks.
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