The GSG Social Committee organizes and hosts various events throughout the academic year. From the Orientation Picnic in the beginning of the Fall semester to Friday Socials, the Halloween Party, Movie Nights or Laser Tag… Check out this page for more information about our upcoming social events!
Winter Carnival Chillout 2024
Feb. 7, 6PM-End
Celebrate the MTU Winter Carnival at the Grad Commons, sharing hot chocolate and snacks by the fire in a more relaxed setting. There will be an non-competitive statue building effort for those interested as well. Hope to see you there!
Ice Skating
Enjoy some winter fun ice skating with GSG! Join us for one of two one-hour graduate student open skate blocks at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena in the SDC on December 10th from 4-5 PM and 5-6 PM.
Rental skates and head protection are available but must be reserved at sign-up due to limited availability. Rentals are free to all students who sign up.
Halloween Party
Celebrate Halloween a few days early at the Grad Commons on Friday, October 27th with treats, music, and a costume contest! Prizes will be awarded for the following categories:
Best Homemade Costume
- Scariest Costume
- Best Pair Costume
- Funniest Costume
The event runs from 6 pm – 9 pm and all are welcome! Hope to see you there!
Fall Color Tour
Michigan’s upper peninsula has been named the #1 spot in the US for Fall colors, and the Keweenaw has some particularly breathtaking views. This tour will stop by some of the best views near Houghton and is a trip you won’t want to miss!
First Friday Social
Please join GSG and the Graduate School this Friday from 4-6pm at Grad Commons for food, drinks, and games at the First Friday Social. All are welcome to join – we hope to see you there for some casual conversation and fun!
Laser Tag, Spring 2023
Get ready to blow off some steam and take a break from those pesky assignments! Join GSG for an epic laser tag match with your friends. Register as a team of up to 8 or enter individually – either way, it’s going to be a blast!
Transportation and refreshments will be provided, so all you need to do is show up at RESPAWN Tactical Laser Tag in Copper Country Mall, Houghton on April 15th (time slots available from 11:30 AM to 4:00 PM). Don’t miss out on the fun!
Cultural Night, Spring 2023
Get ready to experience a night of cultural celebration with GSG and a collaboration of student organizations representing African, Indian, Bangladeshi, Nepali, and Iranian cultures!
Our Cultural Night event is bringing together diverse communities to share their unique traditions, music, and delicious snacks from around the world. Join us for an evening of dance, socialization, and fun, as we play music from different cultures, indulge in cultural snacks that represent the diversity of our student body.
This is an opportunity to learn about and appreciate the richness of different cultures while making new friends and having a great time. We hope to see you there next Saturday, April 8th at the MUB Ballroom to experience this vibrant and colorful celebration! 🌎🌍🌏
Pottery Painting and Chill, Spring 2023
The GSG Social Committee and the Magic Kiln Studio Brings you a Pottery Painting & Chill Night!
Come, hang out, and paint your own pottery pieces while you enjoy some snacks and a cash bar. After painting your pottery, they will be marked and brought to the kiln to be fired and the colors made permanent. Once your piece is ready, we will then contact you to pick up your piece at the Grad Commons. Perfect keepsake of a night of fun!
Did you attend the event? Check the pictures here!
Hot Chocolate & Cookies, Spring 2023
Will you be out and about during the all nighter? Consider stopping by the Grad Commons to warm up by the fire with some hot chocolate and fresh baked cookies!
When? Wednesday, during the All-nighter
Where? Grad Commons (in front of the Library)
What time? 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Cross Country Skiing, Spring 2023
Feeling stressed and like you’ve been cooped up indoors for too long? Well come out and join us for some cross-country skiing and wintery fun at the Tech Trails on January 28th!
Never skied before? No worries! Equipment will be provided, and you’ll receive some introductory training beforehand. Get comfortable with the techniques before hitting the trails.
And if at the end you love it and are sorry that it’s over, we’ve got great
news for you! For all those who sign up and attend the event, GSG will pay for your seasonal Cross Country skiing pass so you can continue to rent out equipment and ski through the rest of the winter!
Where? Tech Trailhead When? Saturday, January 28th: 11AM-1 PM
Did you attend the event? Check the pictures here ⛷️
Halloween Celebration, Fall 2022
Let’s get together and celebrate Halloween on Friday, October 28st, at the Grad Common House from 6 PM until 9 PM! Bring your friends and compete in the custom competition, we will have four categories:
- Best homemade Custome
- Scariest Custome
- Best Pair Custome
- Funniest Custome
There will be music, snacks, and beverages. Come have some fun!
Fall Colors Tour, Fall 2022
Get out and see the Keweenaw in all its beautiful Fall colors with GSG on Saturday October 1 as we go to all the way up Brockway Mountain! On the way back to Houghton we will stop for a picnic by Lake Superior.
Registration closes September 28th at noon. Jimmy John’s sandwiches will be provided, with dietary accommodations available (communicated through registration). Be ready to board the bus at 11:00 AM via the MUB bus stop.
First Friday Social, Fall 2022
The first week of the semester is on the books!
And for that, the Graduate Student Government invites everyone to join us and relax with the Graduate School and the GSG at the Grad Commons, 207 East Street (Ex OAP House, opposite to the MTU Library) from 4 to 6 p.m. on Friday, September 2nd, 2022.
Unwind on a Friday afternoon with your colleagues from across campus at September’s First Friday Social. Light snacks and beverages will be provided. Dress code for the event is black and gold, but if you don’t feel like it, that’s fine too! Masks are not required but encouraged for the event while inside the house.
Orientation Picnic, Fall 2022
Check the event pictures, here 
Kayaking With OAP, Summer 2022
On Friday, July 22nd, GSG is organizing a kayaking event in collaboration with the Outdoor Adventure Program. Slots are limited so register asap. You are also welcome to bring your friends or family members even if they are not a graduate student.
Ziplining With OAP, Summer 2022
GSG’s Social Committee will have a Ziplining event in collaboration with OAP on June 21st, from 11:00 to 2:00 pm. We are excited to see you on the Michigan Tech Challenge Course for some outdoor fun! Enjoy nature and warm weather in the UP’s Summer with us.
Check out the pictures of the event, here 
Last Friday Social, Spring 2022
Dear Huskies, with the Spring semester coming to an end, exams on the way and some assignments still due, take a break and lets meet up and celebrate the end of another year.
Join us at Grad commons on April 22 (Friday) at 5:00 pm, where snacks and hors d’oeuvres will be provided.
Come out, enjoy some food and play some games with us! Families welcome.
Grad Movie Weekend, Spring 2022
GSG with Film Board at Michigan Tech brings to you Grad Movie Weekend! Blow off some steam before the semester ends. Catch the story of Django a former slave turned freeman who just wants to get his wife back.
Show Times
April 15 (Friday): 5:30, 8:30, and 11:30 pm
April 16 (Saturday): 2:30 and 5:30 pm
Free tickets for grad students and their families!
Place: Fisher Hall 135
Laser Tag, Spring 2022
Want to blow off some steam? Need a break from those pesky assignments? Join GSG and a match of laser tag! Ask your friends and register as a team (up to 8) or enter individually.
When: April 3, 2022 (Sunday)
Where: Respawn tactical laser tag, Copper Country Mall Houghton
Time slots: 30-minute slots from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm (Registration required)
Transportation and Refreshments will be provided.
Check pictures from the event, here.
Wine & Pottery Night, Spring 2022
GSG’s Social Committee and the Magic Kiln Studio (Hancock, MI) are teaming up to bring you a wine and pottery night. Come out and hang with us, paint your own pottery pieces and enjoy some wine. When? March 3 (Thursday) from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at MUB commons. Sign-ups required.
After painting your pottery, they will be marked and brought to the Kiln Studio to be fired and the colors made permanent. We will then contact you to pick up your piece. Perfect for a keepsake of a night of fun. We hope to see you there!
Refreshments will be provided and the Cash Bar will be open.
Check pictures from the event, here.
Cross Country Skiing, Spring 2022
Like previous years, GSG is partnering up with OAP to arrange a graduate student cross country skiing event on February 5, 2022 (Saturday). The event will take place at the Tech Trails. Considering This Events Popularity the previous years, we will keep the registration closed till Thursday 2nd Feb 2022, 5:00 pm. This event will also entail Ski Pass for the season. as well as any equipment rental for the event. There will be hour-long slots available from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm open on a first come, first serve basis.
Once again Signups will open Thursday, at 5:00 pm. Make sure to sign up! See you at the Trails.
Check pictures from the event, here.
Spring Social, Spring 2022
Welcome Back Huskies! With the Spring Semester in full swing and new recruits joining us we invite you to spend an evening with us. Let’s all get together and get to know each other better.
GSG will host a Spring Social at the MUB Commons on January 28, 2022 (Friday) from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Snacks and hors d’oeuvres will be provided. Come out, enjoy some food, socialize with other graduate students and play some games with us.
Halloween Escape Room, Fall 2021
Join us at the new Graduate Student Commons (207 East Street) on October 29 (Friday) for a spooky series of puzzles. You will have about 25 minutes to solve a series of puzzles in teams of 4-8 people. Looking to meet new people? Sign up as an individual to get to meet new friends while you try to escape, then relax outside in the backyard with snacks. Costumes are not required, but are encouraged. Time slots range from 5:30 pm to 11:00 pm ET.
Fall Color Tour, Fall 2021
Get out and see the Keweenaw in all its beautiful Fall colors with GSG on Saturday October 2 as we go to Brockway! On the way back to Houghton we will stop for a picnic by Lake Superior.
Registration closes September 30 th at noon. Jimmy John’s sandwiches will be provided, with dietary accommodations available (communicated through registration). Be ready to board the bus at 11:00 AM via the MUB bus stop.
First Friday Social, Fall 2021
The Graduate Student Government invites everyone to join us and relax with the Graduate School and the GSG on the soon to be Graduate Commons, 207 East Street (Ex OAP House, opposite to the MTU Library) from 4 to 6 p.m. on Friday, September 3th, 2021.
Unwind on a Friday afternoon with your colleagues from across campus at September’s First Friday Social. Light snacks and beverages will be provided. Masks are encouraged for the event while not actively eating or drinking. Hope to see you all there!
Check the event pictures, here.
Orientation Picnic, Summer 2021
Check the event pictures, here.
Kayaking with OAP, Summer 2021
Once again, the Graduate Student Government’s Social Committee worked
with OAP and the beautiful UP landscape to pull off our classic popular
and enjoyable afternoon of (socially distanced) kayaking. Thanks to everyone who joined us this past July 29th.
Check the event pictures, here.
Cross-Country Skiing with OAP (Spring 2021)
Feeling stressed and like you’ve been cooped up indoors for too long? Well come out and join us for some cross-country skiing and wintery fun at the Tech Trails on February 19th and 20th!
Never skied before? No worries! Equipment will be provided and you’ll receive some introductory training beforehand. And if at the end you love it and are sorry that it’s over, we’ve got great news for you. For all those who sign up and attend the event, GSG will pay for your season equipment pass so you can continue to rent out equipment and ski through the rest of the winter! If you’re interested, sign up for the event here.
Note: Due to group size restrictions, there will be a deposit to reserve your spot. After the event is over, refunds will be issued over the following week to registrants that participated.
Jackbox Games Night Series (Spring 2021)
Do you enjoy party games like pictionary and charades? Trivia or improvisational games? If so please join us for our Jackbox Game Night series! We have scheduled several dates for the Spring 2021 semester:
- Thursday, January 28th and Friday, January 29th
- Thursday, February 11th
- Sunday, February 14th
- Thursday, March 4th
- Saturday, March 27th
- Sunday, April 11th
- Thursday, April 15th
The Jackbox party game series allows multiple players to participate with only one (in this case GSG) owning it. You will need a relatively stable internet connection for the host to share the game screen. Participants can play on their phone, tablet or computer by navigating to https://jackbox.tv and entering the room code that will be shared by the host.
Here is the Zoom link for the event. Password: 110257. (The link and password remain the same for all events and dates!)
Among Us, 01/14/2021 and 01/15/21
Do you like legendary sci-fi movies like “Alien” and “The Thing”? How would you like to play a game that brings these movies to life? Well, guess what? We have just the game for you, and we are setting up a virtual game night to play this game. The game is called “Among Us” and the goal is to catch a parasitic shapeshifter which has infiltrated a space crew. The goal of the shapeshifters is to eliminate the whole crew, and the goal of the crew is to catch the imposter before it eliminates the crew. Intrigued? If so, then you should check out the GSG social committee’s upcoming virtual game night event where we will be playing Among Us.
This event will be held on Thursday 1/14 and Friday 1/15 starting around 7:30 PM on Zoom (Password: 110038). Participation is free and you can download the game for free on your Android or Apple device through their respective app stores.
Games will continue until around 9:30 PM as participation allows. Don’t worry if you arrive a little late; we’ll work on getting you into the next available game!
Orienteering Event, 11/14/2020
Does this vast expanse of forest here in the UP have you feeling overwhelmed and lost? Would you like to better understand cardinal directions and their relationship to where you are and where you are going? Do you just want to spend a couple of hours outside having fun? If so, then you should check out the GSG social committee’s upcoming event: orienteering. This orienteering event will be held on Saturday, November 14, and will show you the basics of navigating with a compass. This event is free to attend, and we will be providing compasses, water, special prizes, and a lot of fun.
Number of group members: 2-4 members
Event date: Saturday, November 14, 2020
Available time slots: 9:00 – 11:00AM, 11:30 – 1:30PM, 2:00 – 4:00PM.
Location: SDC, West Soccer Field ( https://goo.gl/maps/3vXtckkSWBxfqdFX9 )
If your teammate has already signed up your name, you don’t need to sign up again!
Halloween Adventure Race, 10/17/2020
Boys, girls, ghouls! The Spooky Scary Halloween Adventure Race is happening this October 17th on campus! Form a team of 3-5 dark souls and come dive with us into the blood-curdling intrigue of macabre contests. Test your might and fight for some cool prizes! Serve your best gothic looks, for there will be spooktacular locations. Registration is opening on Saturday October 3rd.
Counter-Strike: GO Tournament, 08/08/2020
We are pleased to announce we are holding a Counter-Strike: GO tournament on Saturday, August 8th with additional matches being held on the 9th if it is needed. This event is open to all members of the Michigan Tech Community (students, faculty, staff). You can register as a team or as an individual (here is the link to the registration form). The tournament will be double elimination so all teams will get to play at least two games. Full tournament rules will be available after registration closes, on July 29th, at 11:59 PM. Please contact Nathan Ford at gsg-president@mtu.edu if you have any questions.
Snowshoeing at Lily Creek, 03/08/2020
Snowshoeing will take place at Lily Creek on March 8 (Sunday), from 1.00 to 4.00PM. Transportation, snowshoes, and water provided. Bring your own snacks! Participants should meet at the MUB bus stop at 12.45PM. There is only room for 25 people, so make sure to sign up ASAP! This event is free and hosted by the Keweenaw Land Trust. Check out this page for more information about Lily Creek.
Halloween Party, 10/31/2019
Join us on October 31st, between 7.00 and 10.00PM, in the MUB Ballroom. Costume contest, cash bar, and free admission!
Fall Colors Tour, 10/12/2019
Join us for the Fall Colors Tour from the top of Mount Bohemia! Enjoy the largest outdoor hot tub in the Upper Peninsula (included in admission). A ride to Mount Bohemia will leave from the MUB bus stop at 11am on Saturday, October 12th. Adult pricing is $5 per person, free for children under 12. Please pay the Grad School secretary prior to 3.00PM on Wednesday, October 9th (Admin building, 4th floor).
First Friday Social, 9/6/2019
Take some time to relax before the semester (really) begins! Unwind on a Friday afternoon with your colleagues from across campus at this year’s First Friday Social: September 6th, 4.00 to 6.00 pm on the ROTC lawn (adjacent to the MEEM building). Enjoy free food and beverages.