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Starting at 10 p.m. and going until 1 a.m. on Aug. 28, the Alumni Memorial Union, Union Sports Annex, and Rec. Center were filled with students checking out this year’s start of Late Night Programming.

The program featured a variety of events from hip hop dancing to Trivial Pursuit, all sponsored by a combination of Marquette Student Government, Residence Life and the Office of Student Development.

Late Night Marquette “is an initiative to get kids to have something to do on the weekends” said MUSG Communication Vice President and junior Nicole Garland.

“Who really wants to party every weekend?” Garland said. “It gets old after a while.”

Marquette Late Night was started as a possible alcohol alternative for kids who don’t want to drink.

“We’re seniors, we’re 21, and we’re still here (at Late Night) instead of the bars — that says a lot about this event,” said senior Elizabeth Zimmerman, referring to both herself and senior Rachel Debelek.

This “campus collaboration” started last year in the spring semester in response to the Noel-Levitz satisfaction survey given to students on campus.

The survey found that students complained about not having enough to do on the weekends. Assistant Dean of Student Development John Dooley said he found that other campuses hosted late night activities and he worked closely with students to establish a similar program at Marquette.

Students gathered to watch Comedy Sports, the improvisational group from Milwaukee, and the returning student band Repertoire. Some enjoyed making their own pottery and receiving caricature portraits.

Freshman Gumby Gisbrecht’s favorite was the hip-hop dancing lessons.

“If I had not come to (Marquette Late Night) I would not have been having a ball hip-hop dancing,” Gisbrecht said. “It makes me want to be in a music video.”

Freshman Sarah Cotton, who has been dancing for several years, said the teachers were very skilled.

“I’ve done a lot of dancing and they have great style,” she said. “Plus, they made it fun for people who had never danced before.”

Most of the activities are free, though some require a small fee.

“It’s nice that (Marquette) pays for it because I don’t have to worry about having money to have fun,” Zimmerman said.

Late Night Marquette is planned to take place twice a month with different activities each time.