Cleveland State students had the chance to relax ahead of the end-of-semester grind with "Cabseasons," hosted by CSU's Campus Activities Board (CAB) on Friday. This year's edition of the annual "Cabsino" event was held throughout the university’s Student Center. The entire space was decorated to embody the four seasons on each level: fall and winter on the first floor, transitioning to spring and summer as you went up each floor.
 

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CAB's Traditions chair, Amal Elhachdani, chose the theme as a way to transition from the warmer months in Cleveland and welcome the winter season. 

“Starting from our coldest seasons, winter and fall, and then transitioning into our warmest seasons, summer and spring, this year’s ‘Cabsino’ was meant to take students on a journey through the traditional 12-month year going from our Student Center’s first to third floor,” Elhachdani, 20, said. “Giving students a final taste of warm weather as we begin to experience shorter and colder days here in the Northeast Ohio area was our way of ushering in the winter season.”

Students could be found throughout the first and third floors playing different casino games like Blackjack, Craps and Roulette in exchange for tickets to win prizes. CAB also provided a picture wall and free caricature portraits to capture the memorable night.
 

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Attendees were given a “money voucher,” equivalent to $150 in pretend chips, for them to gamble with. At every game, casino dealers were there to explain the rules of each game to students and assist them in their quest to win more chips. 

Students could stay at any game until they were satisfied with their winnings, or inevitably run out of chips. At the end of the night, students exchanged their chips for tickets in a raffle to win prizes including a PlayStation 5, an espresso machine and a new iPad.
 

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CAB also brought in local artists to create caricatures for students which were free to anyone who attended. People got in line before they started their night of fun or as a way to take a break.

There were refreshments and snacks to go along with the theme, including a dinner served at 9 p.m. which was free for students who attended the event. Afterwards, students “hit the jackpot” and were able to use part of their dinner voucher for ice cream as dessert.

Elhachdani, an urban studies and philosophy major at CSU, said it was stressful but rewarding to organize the event.

“I began planning for this event at the end of May which means that, timeline-wise, ‘Cabsino’ takes an average of five months to completely coordinate and organize,” Elhachdani said. “The event itself weighed heavily on my mind for a majority of this semester, and now that it’s over I can say that it was supremely rewarding to see that my efforts helped to make 'Cabsino' a hit again.”

CAB's next big event is the “Northern Lights Winter Gala,” on Dec. 5, in the Student Center Ballroom from 6:00-9:00 p.m. Students are invited to “a night under the Northern Lights” to celebrate the end of the semester.