Taylor Storlien-
Many might have seen posters around campus advertising the 2023 Homecoming Bubble Rave. With a background of colorful bubbles, it announces what is to come this Saturday: “Get your squad ready for the Annual Homecoming Rave! Bright Lights, Pumpin’ Music, Bubbles & one awesome night!”
The finale to the Great Gustie Gathering is the annual Homecoming Rave. It will occur from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 23, in the field by the Collegeview apartments.
Important information for this year’s rave is that there will be two DJs and it will take place under a covered tent; so weather will not interfere with the festivities. Due to the limited space within the tent, to create as much dancing room as possible, bags of any size are not allowed. “Plan accordingly,” CAB Late Nights & Weekends Co-Executive, Senior Ryan Wersal said.
In contrast to previous years, this year will also have bubbles, “In addition to the bright lights, pumpin’ music, and neon colors we will also have glistening bubbles floating throughout the air,” Wersal said. Previous themes have included, GOLDEN Rave, Rave of Glory, and Light it Up, according to the Gustavus website.
Many may remember last year’s rave as the start of a campus-wide cold. Last year’s dry ground combined with the dancing inside the tent created a dusty environment which left some with a cold that may have resulted from subsequent dust inhalation. The colds that resulted from the rave have led some to believe it is what started the breakout of what some students call “The Gustavus Plague”: “I got ‘The Black Lung’ last year. It was the catalyst for the Gustavus Plague. Everyone got sick,” Sophomore Summer Kaeppe said.
The dust storm created a memorable experience for most students who attended: “The dust was the worst part of the rave. I remember questioning if there was stuff in my mouth hours after the rave,” Sophomore Phing Xiong said. While everyone experienced ‘The Black Lung’ in different ways, most experienced it with a head cold. “I blew black snot for days last year,” Sophomore Ella Sontowski said. This became the main issue that Wersal wanted to be able to address and improve upon for this year.
This year’s theme, Bubble Rave, arose from the dust as a solution to last year’s “Black Lung” mishap. “Our main goal for this year was to address the issue of ‘The Black Lung’ we had during last year’s rave. Since it was dry last year, lots of dust got kicked up in the air and people got sick from breathing a lot of it in. To combat the dust, we decided on the bubble theme! When the bubbles pop, they will moisten the ground slightly and reduce dust being kicked up,” Wersal said.
After getting into the school year, Homecoming week comes as an intermission before the Nobel Conference. At the rave, many students let their creative side shine through, sporting brighter outfits and new dance moves. Gustavus Homecoming Week brings many activities to all students, Saturday being full of opportunities and activities for students to attend and partake in.
The Homecoming Rave has been an ongoing Gustie tradition for many years. Co-President of CAB, Senior Emma Ericson, who works alongside Co-President and Senior Nhu Nguyen, didn’t plan this year’s rave directly but remembers planning it as she was a Traditions co-executive last year: “The rave is always a fan favorite, so it is always exciting trying to figure out ways to carry on the tradition while making sure there are fresh and new aspects to it. This is one of my personal favorite events of Homecoming because it really ties the whole week together, and brings such an electric energy to campus! I am looking forward to seeing everyone come together to the tent near College View and dance the night away and sing along to some upbeat party songs!” Ericson said.
Each year, students gain more memorable moments from the night under the rave lights. It’s a way to grow closer with classmates outside of the classroom and create long-lasting memories with close friends. “It was so chaotic and fun. It showed a different side of my classmates that I had not previously experienced, and I’ll definitely be going again this year. The idea of a bubble rave sounds amazing, minus the risk of soap in my eyes,” Sophomore Nina Nordstrom said.
By Taylor Storlien