To start the semester off with a bang and celebrate the beginning of a new academic year, an event called Kean Wave transpired on the first day of classes this past Sept. 3. Kean Wave was held on the Miron Student Center (MSC) Patio from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., a great location for students to meet up with their friends they have not seen all summer. There were fun games, activities, food, giveaways and more for students to enjoy.

Kean Wave was the first event of Cougar-Kickoff, a month long campus-wide effort to involve and entertain Kean students, while also informing them of some of the resources offered on campus.

The MSC Patio was filled with students chatting and being immersed in the activities that were offered to them, all while DJ Wallah played tunes to keep the energy up.

Different stations lined the patio which all included various activities for the students to participate in. One station was tie-dyeing where students were able to design and color Kean shirts, which is perfect for showing off their Kean pride.

Also available was a station where students could share their Summer and Fall goals, which helped them to motivate each other and express what they are passionate about.

Games such as a giant Connect Four, a basketball shooting contest and a photo booth could also be seen around the patio. There were even some inflatable games, such as a mechanical shark for students to enjoy which fit well into the beach theme.

Also at Kean Wave was a variety of food for students to eat like hamburgers and hot dogs. For a sweet treat, students could indulge in Italian ice, a classic summer dessert.

Kean Wave was hosted by the Student Organization of Kean University, which is responsible for a lot of the programming that students see around campus. They are dedicated to being the voice of the student body and giving the students programs that will enhance their time at Kean while offering useful information and services.

Bridget Trela, a student aid, said, "The students have more of a voice, I think, than they realize. Student Org-we're here for [the students]."

She continued, "Whatever kind of event they want to see or any kind of movie they want to be shown, we really do take that into consideration because we're doing this for them. The more of an input they have and what they want to see from, the more we can make events for them so that more people come out and they would get more of a college experience."

For more fun events such as this one, be sure to come to the rest of the Cougar Kick-off programs!