Otters gathered outside the Otter Student Union (OSU) on Thursday, Sept. 4 for a special movie night, welcoming students back to Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB). This event aimed to set the stage for the new school year by fostering community and offering a fun, engaging experience for returning and new students according to organizers.
Sponsored by First Year Experience and the OSU, the film for the night was “Doctor Strange,” chosen by the First Year Experience staff and influenced by student suggestions.
The movie screening was hosted outdoors on the OSU Inter-Garrison Plaza Lawn around 7:30 p.m., inviting students to come prepared with blankets and warm clothes to enjoy the film under the stars.

About 200 students registered for the event. The first 25 students to check in received a complimentary lawn chair.
The gathering offered a cozy atmosphere as attendees arrived, rolling out blankets across the grass and creating makeshift seating areas with pillows, snacks and refreshments, ready to settle in for the movie.
“We plan on hosting various movie nights like we did in the summer!” said First Year Experience Coordinator Elizabeth Hayes. “Students can always expect these events every few months, but we are working on a schedule to host more as the semester continues and students are back. All our events will always be posted on MyRaft!”
Students can expect to see many more movie nights throughout the semester and can even suggest movies. The next movie night will be held Sept. 18 from 7 to 9 p.m. and features “Encanto” in honor of Hispanic Serving Institutions week.
Otters interested in making a movie suggestion for future showings can do so by reaching out to [email protected].
