The array of colorful lights gleaming across the room caught my eyes instantly. People sat at the bars with their eyes glued to the numerous television screens lined up against the walls. A drunken, middle-aged man joyously jiggled to his favorite rap tunes. A girl giggled with delight as she swayed back and forth on a swing.

I had eagerly awaited this moment for a whole week. After hearing about my desire to get a taste of the club scene, my friend Jen immediately arranged for us to experience one of her favorite clubs: Mango’s.

I was enthralled by the sights and sounds in the club. The massive amount of people there was intimidating at first. Would I fit in to this atmosphere?

Before I knew it, I felt comfortable with my surroundings. My friends and I squeezed our way through the chaotic dance floor. Once we reached an open area, we began to dance the night away to techno and rap.

As my friend started to teach us some dance moves, a group of guys approached us. They wasted no time and immediately began to swarm us with cheesy pick-up lines. At first, we politely shrugged them off.

The night progressed as more and more strange guys approached us. One guy kept trying to grab me. I would continuously refuse him and tell him to stay away, but he was quite persistent until he finally stopped. I wondered to myself why the males in the club were acting so disrespectfully.

I simply disregarded that encounter and continued dancing. A mere five minutes had passed before I was approached once again. This time, the guy acted friendly and seemed interested in more than just hooking-up. So, I decided to dance with him.

In the meantime, my friends walked off and spoke with some other guys by the bar. Before I knew it, the guy asked me to sit at the bar and have a chat with him. He asked for my number. Unsure of what to do, I quickly reacted by typing in the wrong number into his phone.

Luckily, I had made the right decision. I observed this same guy throughout the remainder of the night and saw that he was just looking for a hook-up. He went from girl to girl, feeding them lines and pleading for their digits.

Don’t get me wrong, my first clubbing experience at Mango’s didn’t drive me away from the club scene altogether. It did make me more aware of the types of people who go to these clubs.

Even though it’s a thrill to go out to the club, there are times when it can be an annoyance because of the remarks you get or the kinds of people who may approach you.

If we didn’t have to worry about these types of encounters, then clubbing would be a much more pleasant experience. Now that I have a boyfriend, I can go to the clubs and not worry about any guys giving me a hard time.

Approaching the dance floor once again, I am accompanied by my boyfriend. We glare into the gleaming lights as techno pulses through our bodies.

Nedda Pourahmady is a junior newspaper journalism major and a columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact her at [email protected].