On March 30, The BRATz at Oakland University hosted “Nostalgia Night” at the Oakland Center in meeting rooms 128-130 from 6 to 8:30 p.m., bringing students together for an evening centered on connection and shared memories.
Amid neon lights and music from the 2000s, students spent the evening enjoying a range of activities.
While some took photographs, others worked on crafts; some danced, and others enjoyed the food. The atmosphere was welcoming, with a nostalgic touch that reflected childhood and adolescent years.
Bambie Johnson, president of The BRATz club, summarized the objective of their project, which is focused on providing a safe space for students to socialize, a place where they can experience a sense of belonging.
“I feel like everybody misses when they were a kid, at least just a little bit,” Johnson said. “We felt like it would give people an opportunity to relive old experiences and build new experiences on top of it.”
Johnson emphasized the importance of having a space where students feel safe to socialize, the primary reason why The BRATz Club was founded.
“As a commuter student, I’ve definitely noticed that there are not a lot of places specifically just to go and talk to people without feeling judged or without there being some other kind of central topic,” Johnson said. “So Bratz was created to kind of bridge that gap and to give students a place where they can feel comfortable going up to people and making the first move.”
Kamryn Humphrey, vice president of BRATz, reinforced this idea.
“We want a safe and comfortable space for people to feel seen and heard and that no matter what they’re into, it’s brought out in BRATz,” Humphrey said.
The BRATz Club decorated the venue in a way that made the atmosphere feel like it belonged to another era.
“We really wanted people to come in, and as soon as they come into the room, we wanted you to feel like you were partying from any era you can think of, from like 1990, early 2000s or 2017,” Humphrey said. “I wanted people to feel really immersed and like they were getting taken back.”
This type of event also fostered connections among students, in addition to providing entertainment through interactive activities.
“It allows people who would never be in the same space together to come together to actually make friends,” Humphrey said. “You can have a best friend that you never would have met if it wasn’t for events like this.”
Joseph Beverly, a sophomore who helped set up for the event, said the theme gave students a chance to reconnect with familiar experiences.
“It’s a good experience for everybody to kind of get back in tune with their childhood, what people used to like and the fun things before things got hard,” Beverly said.
The energy of the event carried throughout the night, with students continuing to engage with one another.
“I think people should come to Bratz more, or they should be more of a larger thing, because these things are open to everybody,” Beverly said. “It’s like come have fun, enjoy the people and the vibes.”
“Nostalgia Night” highlighted the club’s focus on building community, giving students a chance to connect through shared memories in a fun and welcoming environment.
