A    friendly  circle of audience was ready to applaud, but on April 10th snapping awarded participants of the Coffee House.

Coffee House is an annual event, which gives students an opportunity to show their hobbies and talents.

“We wanted it not to be a show, but more like an intimate environment. We just wanted to seem more familiar and comfortable, ” Emily Berhiaume said.

The Coffee House was different from other shows and events.

“I think it’s really different from all the other stuff that, we’ve done before. On the stage it’s really comforting and homey and the atmosphere creates something that you just want to be in. Just nice to be surrounded by all these people that genially want to be there,” Ryliegh Loser said.

Instead of traditional clapping, people were snapping, making the atmosphere of the Coffee House comfortable and warm,  like coffee.

“Intimate setting is more inviting and it’s more personal too. It’s not like a talent show. It’s just a nice time,” Anne Ngo said.

Although snapping added more spirit of the Coffee House, sometimes the audience responded in a traditional way, applauding.

“Oh, people clapped to me, I felt really good,” Brandon Williams said.

However, the fact that people were sitting on the stage added more responsibilities to the performers.

“You got to see people emotions, what their reaction was to you doing what you’re doing. If they actually smile or like: “What is this?”” Justin Rogers said.

For some of them preparation became challenging, but entertaining experience. A band member Jenan Taha shared her story of overcoming a stage fear.

“I just played in public. I would just go to my park and get over the fear of people. It helped me. It was fun. I thought it would be scary or weird, but it was fun. They didn’t mind. Some people watched, some people were just on their own business,” Jenan Taha said.

The show left a lot of memories, positive and funny moments.

“I did magic and I was pre-show person. People were really amazed. I came to the show, wearing a red vest and a black pants and a black shirt, and a black bowtie and people thought that that was super cool,” Chris McGlothlin said.

Singing, reading poems, playing the instruments, beatboxing, glovig lighting, stand-up comedies and even magic combined together into one show.

“Everybody wants to be a little superstar,” Raynie Leard said.

To participate in the Coffee House students had an audition, but they also save their performance for a surprise.

“We keep ahead, except the audition, and everybody else got to see it at the actual show, because it’s more funny, when they don’t know what we gonna do,” London Strickland said.

Students were excited, because some of them had very special reasons.

“I feel like if singing was a sport that would be my sport. I was going to do it for the first Coffee House, and recently my cousin was bullied and she was supposed to come to the Coffee House, but she didn’t come to the Coffee House, so I was gonna sing it for her all together, because I liked the massage of the song Titanium, ” Tierra Barron said.

According to the students, there is no secret of success, but rather just following their passions..

“It’s just something that we love,” Kyle Huddleston said.

Although the preparation was not too long, but for some participants it takes the entire lifetime. To write poetry students needed lives’ observation.

“I think, the best writing comes from what you experience,” Sierra Boudreaux said.

Writing became the way of expressing feelings for some students.

“I think keeping things bundled up inside of you, it’s not good, even if it’s happy stuff. It’s good to express yourself. A lot of my friends write, as well. I have a blog. It’s really of fun, a lot of my friends online had inspired me over the year,” Ryliegh Loser said.

Each poem has a special meaning and important massage.

“Sometimes things are hard for you, and sometimes they are really hard for other people, and it’s ok to be upset, but you have to realize that other people are hurting too, and you are not the only person in the world. You can’t take everyone else problems and try to compare them to yours, because they are your own. I wanted to say just be honest. Everything that I wrote, I think is honest. It’s very important to be honest with people around you and with yourself,” Sierra Boudreaux said.

Stand-up comedy entertained people; however, students share with their successful element of jokes and their impressions.

“It’s just fun to laugh and being in the room of laughter, it was fun. What is important? Don’t lie. You gotta do the truth in comedy, just talk about your own experiences, kind of what I did, “ Sebasian de Asas said.

Students have their favorite moments of the show.

“I like to see smiles on people faces after they see the light comes on,” Matt Hoskinson said.

Participants gave some advices about the Coffee House.

“Know that you are surrounded by friends and people won’t judge you. People will give you so much respect just for getting up on a stage,” Devon Breaux said.

Students didn’t get tired of the Coffee House, they  just enjoyed keeping the show on. For any kind of performer, it allows a chance to share their passions with an audience.

“All the acts fluent very well together and they continuously made a good evening with very good energy and positive vibes,” Matt Hoskinson said.