The chaos of moving in is winding down and the goodbyes and farewells have been said. For first-year students, a new environment can be intimidating and exciting at the same time. There are plenty of activities for the first day and night on campus to mingle with new people and discover what the University of Oregon has to offer, such as the DuckN2TheRec event tonight.

From 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., students can visit the Student Recreation Center on East 15th Avenue for an experience that will kick off their college years the right way. There will be free Nike gear, food, prizes and music.

“The purpose behind this event is introducing our facility and everything we offer at the Rec Center to the incoming students. Our main audience is freshmen, but the event is open to everyone,” Clare Chisholm, the student event coordinator at the Rec Center, said. The event is even open to the family and friends of first-year students.

“I will definitely bring my friends,” first-year student Maddie Hackett said.

The Rec Center wanted to go above and beyond the typical event with games and prizes and through donations was able to get a mechanical bull.

“What would be more ridiculous and fun than a mechanical bull?” Chisholm said.

Students are able to participate in a blow-up challenge course along with a fitness challenge to experience Intramural sports such as dodge ball and basketball. There is also a fitness circle that will teach students how to use the new equipment at the Rec Center: a giant twister and a gyro ball without gravity in which people are strapped into and spun around.

For just participating in these events and challenges, students will be entered to win the grand prizes of two Nike Fuel Bands and a Nike GPS Watch.

To cap off the event with something big and exciting, students are instructed to leave the Rec Center at 11:45 p.m. and head toward Gerlinger Lawn where the midnight glow party will take place with glow body paint and strobe lights. With the Rec Center staff filling over 3,000 water balloons, the midnight glow party will be anything but a boring first night on campus.

DuckN2TheRec is a great way for first year students to find what the Rec can offer them while meeting new people and learning about various programs in a fun and interactive environment.

First-year student Jules Lieb agrees. “I’ll at least go to it and see everything and get some more information on stuff I otherwise wouldn’t be able to,” she said. “I think it’s good to meet other people and get involved.”