Freshmen get a fun introduction to college life at MAINstage

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For Kara Waldecker, 2009’s MAINstage was an experience like no other.

As an incoming freshman from Monroe, she has never been to anything quite like the event.

“This is a good way to make friends and make fun of each other,” Waldecker said. “The free food was my favorite part.”

MAINstage, held every year the day before classes begin at Rose Ponds, gave thousands of students a chance to check out student organizations, go on rides and see a free concert by recording artist Eric Hutchinson.

Waldecker came with a group of friends and spent most the night with Egypt senior Mohamed Farag, a friend she met about a week ago in Barnes Hall. The duo sported colorful balloon hats and took part in many of the event’s games and rides.

They ate free food, played soccer with the Central Michigan University Women’s Club Soccer Team, rode the mechanical bull, jousted climbed the rock wall, shot basketball and football, rode the Scrambler and went down a giant inflatable slide.

It was Farag’s first time climbing a rock wall, yet he beat Waldecker and his friend, Burt senior J.D. Sawchuk, to the top.

“It wasn’t sure how I was going to get down,” he said. “I wasn’t even looking as I was climbing.”

‘I kept laughing at him’

Farag said he had fun riding the mechanical bull, which he lasted on about 10 seconds.

Although his hat survived the bull, Farag lost it while riding the Scrambler, but later got a new one.

“I got dizzy and my hat flew away,” he said.

Waldecker enjoyed laughing at Farag on the Scrambler.

“It was so funny because he was getting scared and I kept laughing at him,” she said.

Waldecker said she beat Farag at practically everything, except for the rock climbing.

Farag enjoyed every part of MAINstage, except for the free root beer floats which he said tasted like “toothpaste.”

For Farag, MAINstage was an unusual experience.

Even though he went to last year’s event, he said they don’t have carnival-style events in Egypt.
One thing that he did enjoy and was familiar with however, was playing soccer, which he played with his friends and the CMU Women’s Club Soccer Team.

“I love soccer,” he said. “I’ve been playing since I was six, I just love it.”

Farag and Waldecker also spared off against each other for American Gladiator-style jousting.
“Every time she (Waldecker) wanted to win she would jump on me,” Farag said.

Free concert

The two chose not to attend Hutchinson’s concert, which started at 7:15 p.m.

Hutchinson performed in front many CMU students, faculty and Mount Pleasant community members in a free concert.

Hutchinson, best known for his song “Rock and Roll,” will make somewhere between $12,500 to $15,000 for the show, said Muskegeon junior and Program Board President Dave Breed in June.