Crawfest 2008

Jonah Goldberg once said, "Cultures grow on the vine of tradition." His statements apply to the cultures of many different groups of people all over the world. Even college campuses have their own heritage, defined by their traditions. My twin sister goes to A&M and this is a campus that thrives on their school spirit laden with customs such as ring-dunking, making the gig-em sign, and hating Longhorns!

Here at Tulane, we also have great traditions and I am proud of the fact that I have seen many new traditions define this campus's culture post-Katrina. For example, one relatively new and now HUGE part of Tulane's spring semester is the planning and execution of Crawfest.

Crawfest is a day-long music festival that occurs on the University Center Quad. The various student governments, the residence hall associations, and alumni all contribute thousands of dollars to make this event happen. There are bands from all over New Orleans and students are given a chance to enjoy local music literally a minute's walk from their dorm rooms.

This year's Crawfest featured bands like Trumpet Shortie and Papa Grows Funk. The music ranged from jazz to funk but all of it had the same southern New Orleans feel. People from all over the city come to see all these artists play on two stages spanning the UC Quad at Tulane.

And of course, there's also the crawfish. I recently read that 98% of crawfish harvested nationwide comes from New Orleans. It's a sweet treat here and spring is just the time to enjoy it. It also does get expensive though due to its demand everywhere else and students at Crawfest get to enjoy 2 lbs of crawfish and free drinks all day long.

It all started with just one idea last year from one student . . . and now it is an $84,000 enterprise that draws visitors from all over the city. The message from this? Come to Tulane to start traditions of your own . . it's just that easy in the Big Easy!

This is Daniel Haber . . . the idea was his and he is now a key player in the tradition of Crawfest

Tibet Week 2008

Last week I was going about my usual routine. I had just gotten out of Cell Biology 301 and I was walking to the University Center to grab a quick bite.

I got in line at Quizno's subs and waited for my turn to get my favorite sandwich (the chicken carbonara). And then I realized who was in line with me . . . two genuine Tibetan monks. When it became obvious I was staring, they just smiled pleasantly. I guess they were used to that by now.

These guys came from Tibet and they were living in the US to rally efforts to free their country. Tulane's newest organization, stemmed from the students of the School of Social Work, is in support of their cause and hence, Tibet Week was born.

There were monks there selling beautiful jewellry and religious instruments. They had incense holders, bells, and many other items you would see in a typical Buddhist temple. They even took Mastercard and Visa-- clearly these guys had learned to live as Americans!

Check out the pretty ring that Becky is wearing-- she visited the jewellry table with me.There was another table as well and there were some monks working on a very intricate sand mandala. For those of you that don't know what a mandala is, it's a detailed picture that is made of sand- Lisa Frank Sand Art on a grand scale, essentially. The sand is poured painstakingly into a design that has been etched into a stone tabletop. The instruments they use are long tubes with holes for suction to keep the sand in. They then use little sticks to uncover the tiny holes and ridges and let out exactly the right amount of sand. They were set up right in the middle of the smaller food court at the UC but their gorgeous mandala stopped many students in the hustle and bustle of their daily lives and they were drawn in by the delicate work. For many of us, this was one form of art we hadn't experienced before.

So here's another thing about Tulane. You never know when you'll be going about your regular day when suddenly a monk from Tibet will appear in line next to you!

Only at Tulane . . . .

Shadows of Diversity

I have to take a moment to write about Shadows of Diversity.

Shadows of Diversity is my sorority's annual event. Our sorority, Delta Xi Nu Multicultural Sorority, Inc., has a tradition of doing all kinds of interested and unique events in its chapters and colonies across the country. Our event is Shadows, which is a cultural show and dinner. We use it to promote various customs and arts of different cultures.

This particular year, we had martial arts, juggling, two Indian dances, a dance by the Newcomb Dance Company to "Wild Horses," and our own step show. Now for those of you who might not realize what "step" is, I encourage you to check out this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWDEuNSYwIA

This isn't our chapter, but it is Delta Xi Nu and we actually do use a few of these steps. Our sorority girls are known for our step skills, which for me and many other girls on the team here, is a totally new way of expressing ourselves through our dancing.

This year Shadows was last week and we had food donated from almost every major multicultural restaurant in town. We had Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, and Middle Eastern food, all donated to us. Our sisters also made some very unique desserts, including German Chocolate Cake and Mojito Cake.

It was a very successful night and honestly something very particular to Tulane. Only our chapter of the sorority puts on a show quite like this and we are the only group on campus that puts together a multicultural show at all. It takes almost a year of planning to happen but when it does, its worth it to see our audience's reaction to the acts and their enthusiasm about the various kinds of foods we have and what cultures they represent. Shadows expands horizons about heritages that we as students might not otherwise get to experience.

One more reason to come to Tulane. If multiculturalism is a big part of your life (regardless of your own ethnicity), then come check out Delta Xi Nu's Beta Chapter and our annual Shadows of Diversity. You won't regret it!

Wall Dedication

About two weeks ago I attended the dedication of Wall Residential College. It was a basic ribbon-cutting ceremony which explored the life of the woman whose generous endowment gave Tulane its newest (and some say nicest) residence hall. The only problem was . . . . I lived in Wall my freshman year which was two years ago so wasn't it a little late for a dedication ceremony?

But according Eric Couper, who was at that time my vice-president but today is the president and one of the most influential individuals in terms of Wall's progression from a residence hall into a the community it is today, "Better late than never." We all took a few moments aside from our busy schedules to commemorate the life of the woman who gave us this beautiful structure.

As Eric, Professor Dunn, and even Cynthia Cherrey, the Vice President of Student Affairs, give prolific speeches, many who were instrumental in the past of Wall as well as its future came out to see them. Housing and Residence Life staff as well as students came to celebrate Wall two years after its way of life began. But as Eric pointed out in his speech, this was as good a time as any to have this ceremony because Wall's future has barely begun. The students of this residence hall have really changed it from just the new hall everyone wanted to live in my freshman year to a place with traditions and customs of its own.

Personally, I was thrilled when I was recognized as Wall's first president by its current residents. It was great to see that I still had a place amongst Wall's leaders, even if I was the first and certainly the one who knew least what to expect.

The whole experience really taught me something about Tulane. The students here really know how to appreciate those who gave them the gifts they have now, whether it be endowments for residence halls, scholarships, or new equipment for the classrooms. And then when their turn comes, they give back to this amazing community.

So another reason to come to Tulane . . . . keep the cycle going. Be a part of a tradition you won't understand until it's a part of you.

Hail Motherland

It's Thursday and I've officially been at Tulane for three days since Spring Break. I wasn't quite ready for the break to be over, like many other students, but I am glad to be back. It's nice to get back into the swing of things with my residents, my extracurriculars, and my friends.

That being said, I do miss the motherland. It was a lot of fun hanging out in Russia last week, and I'm so thankful that I get the opportunity to travel as I do. But honestly, I don't think I'm the only Tulane student with these kinds of opportunities.

For example, this semester the med school and some undergraduates are going to Kenya to volunteer. A friend of mine is going to Mexico through a grant from Tulane to volunteer in rural villages. The School of Social Work offered a summer course actually in Tibet. These kinds of chances are not ones every university student gets. And if you're like me and love traveling, you really appreciate a school that makes such an effort to expand the horizons of its students.

Travel is an adventure. And if you take the time to travel to Tulane, your adventure will only just be starting.

Saturday Night Out On the Town

Hey guys,

I know, ANOTHER new post in one day??? I happen to currently be in Moscow, Russia on Spring Break and I have finally gotten pictures from my camera and the cameras of others who attending all the events about which I'm writing. No one had time to do this until Spring Break-- its been a very busy semester!

But anyways, since I've now written about hanging out at Tulane and about doing community service, I thought I'd enlighten my readers about something else they all secretly want to know about-- the night life.

It's not the most respectable thing to ask about but for those of you who are wondering, New Orleans has the best nightlife. Women can get into most dance clubs at age 18 or 19, men at 21. This means that New Orleans is perfect for going out with the girls and you don't even have to go to Bourbon Street to do it. In fact, my girlfriends and I spent the night in the Warehouse District last Saturday.

We went to a club called the Republic, where we had gone to celebrate my 21st birthday a few weeks before. Well now it was my sister Mary's birthday and we were going to have a good time. The best thing about the Republic is that there is always good music with the two DJs that play all the time (DJs Damion Nancy and Chemistry), which means there is always dancing. Unlike my experiences with nightlife in Austin, you don't have to worry about if there are enough people to get a crowd out on the dance floor or not. People don't hug the bar side of the club and refuse to venture farther. The Republic, as well as other places in the Warehouse District, such as Tucker's, is known for its dance floor.



Here is our birthday girl- just turned 20!

The Warehouse District is a popular place to go out for celebratory grooving and I've seen brides party on a night with the girls, fraternity-hosted parties, and of course, birthday celebrations. It is relatively unknown to tourists, so you won't find too many in this area. But you will find some awesome places to bust a move and then some excellent lounges and bars in which you can relax afterwards. You can be assured of the fact that no high school students will be out there with you and you won't have to worry about tripping over inebriated Spring Breakers. These places have strict age limits and even stricter carding policies.

Here are Asha and our new friend Rob lounging in the VIP area with red couches and tables

So anyways, for all my readers, here are some of my pictures from Saturday night at the clubs. It was the day when all the clocks go "spring-forward" so we ended up being there later than we imagined and got breakfast at St. Charles Tavern afterwards--delicious pancakes, omelets, and eggs. It was an awesome night out and a testiment to the fact that sometimes you can have fun in places you might not always expect when you're here in New Orleans.



Me and the girls, from L to R we have Sophie, Mary, Asha, and me!

Senior Prom

William Shakespeare once said, "An old man is twice a child." Though our modern interpretation of that might be the care the elderly need, not unlike a child, I'm sure he meant something different with his words.

Last weekend we had our first Senior Prom, created and promoted by the Residence Hall Government of Willow, Aron, and Modular upperclassmen residences. We went to Lambeth House and literally partied with the elderly. Lambeth House is a community for retired people which has three levels of living: independent, assisted, and nursing home. Residents from all three of those levels were at our Prom.



Here are Ahmed and Chris, the Residence Hall Government Advisor and President, respectively, giving each other a high-five for the success of the program.

Some of my residents were very involved in the planning of this event. They went early to set up, decorate, buy one-time use cameras to take silly snapshots, and put all the food in place. The rest of us headed over in five cars around 7:00 pm. Though we were mostly ladies, and so were the Lambeth House attendees of the event, we still socialized and talked while others were dancing.



Here I am with some of my favorite residents, from L to R we have Casey, Anat, me, and Travis


Of course, that meant that our five guys had to ask some of those older ladies to dance. I personally was very amused when some of these ladies turned some of guys down! Some of them had someone in particular in mind and refused to dance with anyone else!

Here is Travis dancing the night away (or really until 8:45, when the event ended)-- he was the first person to bow his head, extend his hand, and ask this lady to dance!

Overall, the event really gave meaning to Shakespeare's likening the elderly with children. Though they might need more care, they also are much more fun to be around. We all had such a good time socializing, dancing, drinking, and more. America's older generations certainly have amazing stories to tell and we Tulane students were mesmerized by them. I believe after the success of this event, we will be going to Lambeth House soon to hang out with our new buddies!

Here is Ahmed dancing with his new gal pal-- he was a little shy at first but he warmed up fast!

Here is Elizabeth dancing with one of the two old men that were there--she snagged him before the rest of us even had a chance. He was a singer and sang three songs for us during our Senior Prom.