After a long week of getting up early to attend classes and work, Daniel LeSage, a psychology sophomore, said it’s relaxing to sit down and enjoy the triple treat: food, fun, and friends on “Fiesta Friday”.
It began two weeks ago when friends of Ashley Ransburg, an elementary education junior, said she would make the perfect grandma.
“Granny Ranny, I could see you in a kitchen, wearing a moo-moo, cooking red beans and frying chicken,” said Monty Aghazadeh, a biological sciences sophomore.
Ransburg laughed and later told her roommates Meryn Allen, a nursing senior, Danette Thierry, an economics senior, and Naisha Johnson, an English senior that they should host a small dinner party and call it “Soul Food Friday”.
The roommates said they felt the gathering would be a good way for them to spend time together and an opportunity to meet each other’s friends.
As the week went on people began to invite more and more friends, and what started off as a small gathering turned into a paramount soiree’. The first dinner, “Soul Food Friday,” was such a success the roommates decided to host another dinner the following week– “Fiesta Friday.”
Allen said she and her roommates might not have a food night every Friday, but they will strive to have one per month. Other friends have offered to move the dinner to their homes.
“The variety of the people in the apartment reinforced our recent ranking with Newsweek as the the most diverse campus,” said Amanda Ball, a marketing senior. “When you look around the room you find yourself engulfed in a sea of diversity.”
Stacy Brown, a psychology junior, said the dinners attract so many people because the overall environment is totally comfortable and welcoming.
“We’re all here for the same reasons: to meet people and eat,” Brown said. “The differences that exist among us such as race and religion become inconsequential.
Kristen Hode, an elementary education junior, compares the diversity of the parties to the zoo. “Who would want to go to the zoo if the only animals they had were giraffes?” she asked.
“People go to the zoo to see the giraffes, tigers, elephants, and bears. People go to the zoo for diversity, and that’s the same reason people come here,” she said. “We want to see and meet people different than ourselves.”
Garrett Chassee, a finance sophomore, said the difference in scenery, from local bars and clubs to more residential locations, is also desired among students.
“It’s safe, sober fun,” he said. “Students from all walks of life come together and enjoy non-alcoholic fun and the absence of the bar scene.”
Adel Barkat, a biochemistry sophomore, said staying safe keeps the LSU community together, and he hopes that one day this event can be bigger so that there is more of an opportunity for more people to meet each other.
“LSU is known for its Southern hospitality and friendly people,” he said. “While it’s important we come to college to get a degree, we owe it to ourselves to enrich our knowledge of other people from different cultural backgrounds.”
Tim Mulaula, a music freshman, said as a new student when he attended Soul Food and Fiesta Friday he immediately got the idea that people at LSU are friendly.
“With a campus this large it’s great to see that people will take the chance and go the extra mile to get to know you,” he said.