Matadors treated to ‘Mystic Evening’

Students present their decorated carts that are up for competition during the beginning of the “Mystic Evening” on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022, in Northridge, Calif.

Elizabeth Casas, Reporter

CSUN Matadors were invited to celebrate a “Mystic Evening” on Oct. 28, courtesy of the University Student Union.

A big hit of the night was the hypnotist show with Kevin Stone, who had a big turnout for the night as Matadors gathered to see what the show would unravel. Twelve volunteers from the crowd were brought onstage to participate in the show. According to Stone, the process consisted of him awakening the participants’ self-consciousness as the means to improve their confidence and discover a sense of well-being.

As Stone claimed, “It’s a natural organic state of mind, all I’m doing is guiding people through.”
Stone expressed to the crowd during his show that performing at an assortment of universities is a means to help students become more confident and less anxious.

Students figure out the final clue to exit the escape room during the “Mystic Evening” on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022, in Northridge, Calif. (Marena Reich)

“CSUN is a great school! It has become an annual tradition for me, for about five years now, it’s the best school to come out and entertain, as well as educate,” Stone said.

Matadors also had the opportunity to enjoy other activities at the “Mystic Evening” event, such as “trunk-or-treating,” escape rooms and fortune tellers. There was also a photo booth where students could take fun pictures to commemorate the night.

As the night continued, students gathered around in excitement to enter the scare room. The scare room was dark and ominous, with noises in the background and different individuals dressed up in costumes. The exit from the scare room led to different lines with an assortment of activities to participate in.

Trunk-or-treating was one of many activities available to explore. There were several carts which incorporated various themes, in a competition for creativity that the students voted on, including “Toy Story,” bugs caught in a web, a cow, and many others. The carts provided an assortment of candies.

The hypnotist talks with audience members at the “Mystic Evening” on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022, in Northridge, Calif. (Marena Reich)

Students Yazmin Herrera and Yvette Perez, part of CSUN’s DREAM Center, were in charge of decorating a cart with the theme of bugs caught in a web. The cart consisted of spider webs, spiders and candles, while Herrera and Perez were both dressed in bug costumes.

“I think it’s exciting to see all the different organizations within the CSU get together to create something fun for students. It’s exciting to see our students come out and participate,” Herrera said.

Perez shared what she wants to resonate most with people from their themed cart: “I want people to know the pun — that it’s a spider-themed cart, and that we are two insects trapped.”

As the “Mystic Evening” came to a close, Michelle Anderson, student event assistant in charge of the event, shared some thoughts: “I really like team-building and bringing everyone together. The biggest thing I was fighting for was “trunk trick-or-treating,” so I got everyone to come and decorate a cart and give out candy.”