The Bulldog Bowl came alive with cheers and chants as eager students gathered to blow off academic steam at Fresno State’s Back-to-School Bowl Bash.

This annual event is part of Fresno State’s Welcome Week, offering new and returning students the chance to enjoy glow-in-the-dark bowling and billiards for free.

According to Jason Tehee, who calls himself the “Bulldog Bowl Man,” helping to run the event, he was excited to provide students with a space to have fun.

“This [event] is just a welcome back-to-school and just hopefully gives them a place to hang out and relax,” Tehee said.

At around 6:45 p.m., dozens of Fresno State students had already started lining up near the staircase of the University Student Union, buzzing with anticipation. By 7:30 p.m., the bowling alley and billiards area were packed with around 40 students, while the line outside continued to grow with more eager to join the action.

One of the students waiting in line was Ashley Kono, a fourth-year animal science major with a pre-veterinary emphasis. Kono had been waiting in line since 7 p.m., barely moving from the stair entrance.

“This is my last year,” Kono said. “I had to come out and actually do something. But the line’s really long, so I don’t even know if we’re going to get in.”

Despite the long wait, Kono looked forward to bowling and having fun with her friend.

For Omar Hernandez, a second-year business major, the night was a full-circle moment.He finally has a group of friends to hang out with and enjoy the bowling lanes together, although bowling might not be his strongest suit.

“I need a miracle for me to come back and win,” Hernandez said. “It’s okay, I’m having fun.”

Over in the billiards area, Amelia Carter, a first-year kinesiology major with an emphasis in exercise science, wanted to get more involved on campus. She saw the free Bulldog Bowl Bash advertised on Fresno State’s Student Involvement Instagram page and knew she had to come out and see if luck was on her side.

“I hope I win a game,” Carter said.