Student Activities hosts late-night bingo game with prizes

Pajama-clad students packed the LaHaye Event Space, chattered about the game, bent over their bingo cards and held their breaths in anticipation of the next number called. Liberty University’s Student Activities kicked off its first bingo night of the semester, Bedtime Bingo, in the LaHaye Event Space Sept. 1 at 8 p.m.

Each student who attended received a bingo card and a dauber and then tried to find a seat at the long tables lining the room, some students resorting to floor seats. 

To win the game, students were required to get a certain number of dots marked off on their sheets in a row. The first person to yell out “bingo” became the winner of the round and prizes were given out accordingly. 

Bingo nights are typically held by Student Activities during the semester, each one incoprorating a different theme than the rest and varying in attendance size.

Gabriella Trotte, an event supervisor for Student Activities, estimated the normal bingo attendance rate to be 200-250. Students do not need to sign up in advance for the game and can join at any time during the event, staying for as many or as few rounds as they want. 

Trotte explained that Student Activities came up with the bedtime theme while brainstorming over the summer. Since past bingo nights have involved dressing up in fancy outfits, they wanted to do something more comfortable and laid-back for students while giving a nod to the time of the event.

The purpose of these events is to nurture community, especially for new students. Allowing students of all majors and years to come together in friendly competition can allow friendships to form and community to come together.

“We want to encourage new students to create culture,” Trotte said. “Get (them) to know Liberty’s culture since they’re brand new to it, and just have some fun.”

Among all of Student Activities’ events, six bingo nights are planned each year, three per semester, with trivia nights sprinkled in between.

When asked, students who attended Bedtime Bingo said they enjoyed the game.

“Yes, I’m enjoying it. It’s fun to be here with everybody,” freshman Lillah McAllister said. “I can meet people and make new friends.”

Sophomore Jenna Kline agreed.

“Yeah, it was fun,” Kline said. “It’s good community and I just get to know new people.”

According to Trotte, students can start preparing for this fall’s next two bingo nights: “Everything’s Bingo in Texas” Oct. 28 and “How the Grinch Stole Bingo” Dec. 6. Students are encouraged to dress on-theme for both events as well.

Trotte said bingo nights are different from other Student Activities events because bingo is well-known to most students.

“Bingos are always more chill; (they’re) kind of straightforward, you’ve always played (them) growing up and (they’re) something everyone’s familiar with,” Trotte said. “We do hold new events every year and we always have bingo nights every single year, so old students know what to expect when they come. But (for) new students, I think our bingo nights are very elevated. We try to make them hype. It’s something people are familiar with.”

Along with bingo nights, Student Activities holds a multitude of other events throughout the semester. More upcoming events include a Super Smash Bros Tournament happening Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. in the Montview Game Room, Neon Mini Golf on the School of Divinity Lawn Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. and a new event joining Liberty’s campus this year: Photo Expo, happening Sept. 18 at 8 a.m. in the LaHaye Lobby.

To view more upcoming events, contact Student Activities or find more information, head to their website or find them on Instagram.

McKenzie is a news reporter for the Liberty Champion. Follow her on X