Many kids are taught the importance of expressing themselves as they grow up. Through expressing themselves, they earn the uniqueness of their talents and doing things they love.

The importance of doing what they love is that it can bring so much joy to those who surround them.

That is the spirit that is captured by Central’s Open Mic at Sunset. Students came to read poetry, sing songs and rap their own songs to a crowd of their fellow students.

“Open Mic creates a safe and fun environment for people to come and showcase their talents,” Isaiah Ragland, senior music major, said. “It’s really exciting seeing what talents and improvements people bring each week.”

The crowd was very supportive of every student that performed. Even if the performer forgot the words or they were nervous.

That is what freshman aviation major John Rawlinson’s favorite part of the entire event is.

“I love that I can just go up and perform music, because that is what music is to me…having fun while doing something I love,” Rawlinson said.

The performers at the event had mostly been singing, or playing instruments for a minimum of a year, but there were also individuals who have been playing their instruments for almost six years or more.

Though there may have been a gap in the amount of experience that was present, the audience was still supportive throughout the performance.

There were no requirements to participate in Open Mic. Individuals that want to perform just need to show up prior to 8 p.m.to sign up for the limited number of slots.

The sooner the performers show up the higher chance they have of getting a slot.

Junior psychology and criminal justice major Hannah Williams had never performed at an Open Mic before but had attended them to watch the other performers.

Though it was something that Williams was interested in doing, it was really her friends bringing it up constantly that finally convinced her to sign up to sing.

“I was so nervous, I had never sang in front of a crowd of people like that before,” Williams said.

Williams was quickly welcomed to the stage by other performers and encouraged by the audience clapping along to her song.

Rawlinson said that Open Mic is also a great way to meet new people and make friends with other performers, or staff working the soundboards at the event.

All the different techniques that the musicians bring to their performance helps other performers learn things they may not have known before.

Students could be seen helping other students before the start of the show with potential roadblocks that could have come up in their performance.

By the end of the night the performers could walk away with a proud feeling about their performance and what they had accomplished.

“I had so much fun once I got over the nerves,” Williams said. “I wish I had more songs ready so I could’ve kept going. This is something that I will definitely want to do again.”