The first Back For The Laughs of the 2018-2019 school year will be held at 7th Street Underground on Friday and will begin at 7pm.

Hosted by the University Board, Back For The Laughs is a monthly event, and this month, the event is featuring comedian Barry Brewer.

Senior Business Management major Dallas Lancenese is the acting Spotlight Coordinator, as well as the University Board Chair, and he said this event is “the first UB event for the school year, if you don’t count Welcome Back Weekend.”

With free admission and food, anyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.

“Anyone that has heard about the event, knows where it is and can actually make it can come to it,” Lancenese said.

Not only is everyone encouraged to attend, but they are also encouraged to keep coming back, as this event happens monthly and usually lasts for an hour and a half.

“The trend that I usually see is the beginning of the year turnout is significantly higher,” he said. “Then as it goes through the semester, attendance drops.”

He said those new to campus usually think the only exciting events on campus happen at the beginning of the year, but they actually continue to happen throughout the school year.

“At the beginning of the school year, a lot of people are more willing to go out to events on campus,” he said.  “As the school year goes (on), they get more busy. Something that I always wish people would do more is try to come out and get involved and enjoy their time on campus.”

He also said it would be good for students to come out more throughout the school year, even during busy schedules.

“Obviously right now there’s not much stress from school, but when (the stress) comes later, and you’ve been doing homework and projects, it’s always nice to just take an hour or two for yourself.”

Senior Mass Communications major Andrea Kegerreis is going to the event with some friends.

“I think it’s really neat that Eastern is doing something like this,” she said. “It will help with the stress of school.”

She will be in attendance for her first time since becoming a student at Eastern, and it will also be her first time experiencing stand-up.

“I’ve never been to something like this,” she said. “But I do think they are funny from what I’ve heard. I think my favorite part will be just laughing and enjoying someone make other people happy.”

Hannah Shillo can be reached at 581-2812 or hlshillo@eiu.edu.