After a “First Night” of introductions and cheering, Billy the Panther led Eastern’s students, faculty and staff in one final task before sending them home for the night: the wobble dance.

In an interview prior to the event, Student Body President Kaci Abolt, a senior communication studies major, said she was not sure if it was going to happen or not.

“We’re going to try it and see what happens,” Abolt said.

And wobble they did, as various leaders from New Student Programs, cheerleaders, student government executive members and athletes all joined Billy on stage.

The dance brought a close to a yearly Eastern tradition that was attended by students of all ages from freshman to graduate students.

The EIU Dancers attended the event as a group to support other groups performing, and bond with each other as well.

Kristlyn Dalton, an elementary education graduate student, said this is the first year the group did not perform at the event.

“I am not sure why it happened, but it was probably because of poor planning,” Dalton said.

Among the groups that did perform were the Panther Marching Band and EIU Cheer Team.

There were also speeches from Abolt, Rachel Fisher, director of Student Community Service, and new Eastern head coaches Dino Babers and Jay Spoonhour of Men’s Football and Basketball.

Spoonhour spoke about the importance of enjoying one’s college years.

“You have heard a lot of things this weekend about how this is college, and no one is going to tell you when to study or go to class but how important academics are,” Spoonhour said. “We are also not going to tell you how much fun you can have, and there is not limit on that.”

In addition to the outpouring of school spirit, many students went to event in hopes of receiving a free T-shirt. The T-shirts reflected the “First Night” theme “A Blue Era” with an illustrated timeline of the panther logo dating back to the 1940s. 

Holly Robisch, a freshman sociology major, said she heard about the event from her resident assistant in Carman Hall.

“I had already planned on attending many of the athletic events and heard they were giving away free T-shirts this evening,” Robisch said. “Although, I do wish we could see the stage better.”

Robisch and three of her friends were standing near the back of the crowd near the T-shirt table.

Mike Silvestri, a Student Senate member and pre-business marketing major, described the crowd as a mosh pit.

“It was like a concert,” Silvestri said. “I had to push people to get to the front of the stage.”

Amy Wywialowski can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].