Final papers, projects and exams are looming around the corner, elevating the already high stress level of most Penn State students. Several area open mic nights around town may be just what stressed-out students need to unwind.

"I've never been to an open mic night or really heard about any in town," Yevgeniy Kourinski (senior-information sciences and technology) said.

The Rev. Tyson Ferguson, pastor and director of the Wesley Foundation at St. Paul's United Methodist Church who is in charge of the Abba Java Coffee House, 256 E. College Ave., said he likes to hold an open mic night at least once a month for students. "We just did an open mic night a couple weeks ago," Ferguson said. "We don't like to do them every week because other organizations in town hold open mic nights at least once a week."

The other organizations Ferguson is referring to are Veritas Christian Fellowship, located in The Upper Room, 351 E. Calder Way, and Tall Shiva Hookah Lounge, 224 W. College Ave.

Both the Abba Java Coffee House and Veritas Christian Fellowship prefer to hold open mic nights that are family-oriented. "However, we still do have other types of musicians play; we almost always fill up on open mic nights, too," Ferguson said. "We normally have to turn people away, and each performing gets about 15 minutes to perform."

Ferguson said performances vary, with students coming in to do stand-up, slam poetry or play music. He added that they never hold auditions, so the open mic night is open for anyone to come and perform.

While Kourinski hasn't been to any open mic nights in town, he is concerned with the idea of an open mic night that is Christian-oriented. "I think that people need to know what they're getting into before they attend the open mic night," Kourinski said. "Advertisements for them should be pretty descriptive."

Darby Cummings (senior-journalism and sociology) went to an open mic night her freshman year and agreed that there needs to be more advertisement. She said the only reason she knew about it was because her roommate was performing. "The open mic night was fun because it was a specific crowd," Cummings said. "Everyone knew each other there and was really into the performances."