Third year’s the charm

You are invited – to a weekend-long party spanning the entire Eastern campus! In past years, this celebration has included indoor carnivals, hoedowns, root beer keggers and live music. This year is shaping up to be a fantastic time, with a movie marathon, karaoke and a performance by world-class juggler junior Josh Horton in the works.

Dia Del Este, or “Day of Eastern,” was the vision of the Student Government Association formulated and carried out by Paul Daigle, Student Activities Coordinator and Resident Director for Gough Hall.

“The idea is like it’s a progressive dinner,” Daigle said. “The idea was, ‘Let’s have an all-weekend party that you’re going building-to-building’.”

This will be the third year in a row that Eastern has hosted this campus-wide festivity. It will be held from 5 p.m. Friday April 15 to 11:30 p.m. on Saturday the 16th.

Junior Meri White, the RA of Kea South 2nd, and her fellow RAs have been working hard to prepare for the event. “I think it’s the best-run activity that SAB does,” White said. “All the RAs put their all and all into the activities… It’s a big bang for the RAs who are going out to do one last activity.”

Every dorm will be involved with Dia Del Este this year, hosting a variety of activities from an indoor carnival at Hainer, to a game show at Doane, to a Sadie Hawkins dance at Sparrowk.

Students who attended Dia Del Este in previous years have only good things to say about the event: “I thought it was great,” junior Jenna Watkins said. “I went to the dance party in Kea… It was awesome.”

Watkins’ roommate, senior Rose Arcaini, won a fish at Hainer Hall. “I named him Whittaker,” she declared proudly.

Senior Steve Hedrick attended Dia Del Este the very first year it was put on. His favorite part? “Doane,” he said. “I liked their theme a lot. They had Tacos…They made a frame out of two-by-fours…and wrapped it in paper maché so it looked like a piñata. People were beating it with wooden logs for like an hour.”

Dia Del Este offers a great chance to meet new people, explore campus and win some fabulous prizes — from goldfish to the grand prize of an iPad2. There will be events and activities for students with all different kinds of interests. Whether you prefer snuggling up for a movie marathon or strutting your stuff at Karaoke, Dia Del Este has something for you! Get your free ticket today!

Photos by Bryon Calawa and Robert Hornack