Ever since the newly refurbished Roth Quad dining center opened, there has been a never-ending waiting line for greasy cheeseburgers and chocolate Frosties. But on Tuesday night, this eatery adopted a whole new cultural vibe.

Bollywood night was the theme. Many students were pleasantly surprised by the events taking place and were also shocked that the campus was so diverse.

“I ran upstairs when I saw this, and I felt so happy,” said Arjun Lagestty, a junior computer science and mathematics major. “I felt part of being in this culture and now I’ve truly felt part of being in U.S.A.”

This Indian themed night was full of lively belly dancers, traditional folk music and a feeling of cultural appreciation. “America is accepting the culture and we are being respected,” Lagestty said with a large smile on his face. “It makes people feel more at home.”

The traditional band, made up of two percussionists, a keyboardist, and a male and female singer, pumped out tunes all night. Heads nodded up and down and feet tapped as the band played traditional music and took requests.

Draped in an elegant pink and silk traditional Indian dress, the alto-pitched singer finally took her well-deserved break, and made way for the tantalizing belly dancers. As their hips swayed back and forth to the beat, onlookers cheered and whistled in approval.

Cesar Acosta, a psychology senior said he didn’t even know about this event, but once he sat down to see what was going on, he couldn’t take his eyes off the stage. “I’m really enjoying this,” he said, “especially these beautiful belly dancers.” He grinned and stroked his goatee. “These events are great for the campus though. It allows people to experience things they normally wouldn’t even care about.”

Along with the singing and dancing, this cultural event gave people the opportunity to let their artistic sides shine. At the arts and crafts tables, students painted ceramic elephants and cows, created replica Rangoli sand-paintings, and even got spiraled Henna tattoos printed on their hands by professionals.

The Henna tattoos were one of the shining attractions at this event. The line for the tattoos became so long that a sign-up sheet was made to clear the cluttered area.

After people had their fill of arts and crafts and the music was back on, they could try some traditional Indian food; the scent enticed anyone’s nose the second they entered the building.

“They actually had Indian food, which was cool because I was expecting to get mac-and-cheese at the market and bought Indian food instead,” said Waseque Qazi, junior.

While some people didn’t even look the slight bit phased by the events taking place in front of them, others showed their gratitude with large smiles and applause.

“I’m really excited for the campus because we are growing as a community,” said Qazi. “It shows diversity and shows how we can all respect each other and celebrate other people’s cultures.”




Bollywood night went off without a hitch. Students seemed to enjoy every bit of the the festivities at Roth Quad. In my opinion, the music was a little too loud for my taste and they never took a break. I did feel like some students were a little annoying with the constant blasting of music, but those who didn't want to stay, took their food and went back to their rooms.

Even though the university opened up an Indian cuisine spot in the eatery, most of the people went straight for their lard infested Wendy's line, which wrapped around the numerous times. People in this school tend to zone out and ignore the festivities and ceremonies that the school has put right in front of them. Lack of interest and a low attention span could easily be the two main factors for low attendance and gratitude at these events. The school has done well to promote for these events by post up fliers everywhere and internet notifications, but it really doesn't matter.

People make their own decisions to whether they want to open up their minds to different groups and ideological vies and values. You can't force diversity and acceptance down people's throats...people have to want to understand and learn.

It's a cold world out there...sometimes I feel like I'm getting a little frosty myself...