Payton Clark, News Editor
Whether it’s shop ‘til you drop or relaxing in between classes, next week female students and faculty will have the chance to connect with local businesses.
Monday Oct. 9 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Res Life will be hosting the annual Girl’s Night Out in the Upper GC. The afternoon will be a time of shopping, food and spa services for the women of the OBU community, including students, faculty and wives of faculty.
“You can support local businesses, including OBU students and alumnae who are vendors,” Taylor Residence Director Lanie Allred said. “There will be handmade accessories, arts and crafts, succulents, books, jewelry, clothes, knitted items, room décor, Lipsense, Scentsy, Mary Kay and other items to purchase.”
Girl’s Night Out provides a helpful service practically and socially to the women of OBU.
“Today when the students move to OBU, most of them leave home, along with where they get their hair cut and nails done,” Allred said. “[GNO] connects students to the community shops and services around them.”
The date and time of Girl’s Night Out allows students to have another chance to meet each other in a fun way.
“It helps create a welcoming environment early on in the school year and facilitates something fun for the female students to do with their friends,” Allred said. “It’s also an avenue to including the women of Shawnee and encourages OBU’s relationship with the Shawnee community as a whole.”
According to WMU resident coordinator Erin Guleserian, Girl’s Night Out is an annual event that showcases the community’s talent, as well as providing students an opportunity to meet cute local businesses.
“It has been an ongoing event for many years and got started so that OBU women had a way to network and see the talents and gifts of other OBU women,” Guleserian said. “It is typically held at this time of year due to the beginning of the holiday season.”
The early October date means that students can begin shopping for the holidays.
“It allows attendees to get Christmas gifts,” Guleserian said. “However, it is also early enough in the year that people are still trying to get to know each other and this provides an informal way to do that.”
Women will have the opportunity to shop from vendors, as well as participate in self-care services and do-it-yourself tutorials.
“There will be self-care services such as manicures, haircuts, massages, makeovers and other pampering treatments,” Allred said. DIY demos like scrapbooking, hairstyling, cooking and baking will also be available.”
Students have the chance to both attend and sell their own products at Girl’s Night Out.
“They can participate in all aspects of the event,” Guleserian said. “They can have a vendor booth (email lanie.allred@okbu.edu if you are interested) and they can buy from vendors, sign up for door prizes and attend the workshops we will have. Please come for as little or as long as you can.”
Girl’s Night Out also provides chances to support student missions through shopping, and to relax with food and activities.
“Students can support missions by buying items to support mission trips and projects,” Allred said. “They can also have fun with friends with the popcorn bar, hot chocolate and craft area.”
GNO is presented by the Taylor and West U residence centers, with the help of women’s ResLife.
“The three female RDs of OBU are working together to put this event on, Dayla, Lanie and myself,” Guleserian said. “We are working together to produce different aspects of the event.”
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