A.S. will be hosting one last event before finals called “Final Flip,” where entertainment and free food will be provided for students who show up.
“Final Flip” is a luau themed event for students to unwind after the last day of regular classes and before finals kick off. There will be free pancakes, free chair massages, fire dancers and an obstacle course.
This event was first held last semester at the suggestion of Stephanie Galvez, 26, who is an A.S. graduate assistant. Her previous university held a similar event so she brought the idea up to her advisor here. She said this event is her baby.
“The final flip is sort of a stress reliever for student’s right before finals week,” said Galvez, who is a graduate student at CSUN majoring in recreational sports management. “…We’re having an inflatable obstacle course that we used last semester. Students were able to race each other and they loved it. So we’re bringing it back.
“Through the Klotz (health) center we’re having massage therapists come out. First come, first serve to sign up for a five-minute (chair) massage.
Two Polynesian dancers and one Samoan fire dancer wil entertain the crowd.
Galvez said she hopes the event will promote school spirit. They are anticipating 1,000 students attending.
“We’re getting food for a thousand,” Galvez said. “Last semester we estimated 500 and we were sold out, or out of food, in an hour. So our estimated student total is a thousand students and we’re doing two pancakes each and then we’re also having some fruit, like pineapple fruit instead.”
The pancakes are being provided by a caterer, it would cost too much for liability insurance if students made the pancakes themselves, she said.
According to Czarina Martinez, 28, who is also an Associated Students graduate assistant and a CSUN graduate student majoring in recreational sports management, the event is being paid for from funds allocated to them through the Campus Quality Fee.
Galvez does not know what the final cost for “Final Flip” will be but she is estimating anywhere between $5,000 and $8,000. And while last semester students who attended expressed their desire to have this event every semester, it is not guaranteed to happen.
“It can be done but it’s not guaranteed,” Galvez said. “It just depends on our budget for the year and what we spend… We do have donations but because it’s a large amount of people, like the massage therapists, they can’t really donate that much. But we do ask for donations.”
Last semester there was a raffle at the event and according to Martinez the bookstore really helped out.
“The book store donates a lot (to events usually). Last year they donated a snuggie, scantrons, pens, cups and mugs. Yeah they’re awesome. The bookstore really pulls through.”
This event is open to all CSUN students and even if the pancakes run out, the entertainment and obstacle course will be up and running until midnight.
Galvez hopes students will just come out to have a good time.
“Especially if you’re graduating, it would be a great last event,” said Martinez. “Come jump down the inflatable slide.”
