No Time for a Siesta, We’re Having a Fiesta is an annual Demon Days event held at the Friedman Student Union. Demon VIPs and International Student Services partner up to bring Hispanic culture to a diverse campus, offering lime mocktails, flavorful tacos, salsa dancing and live music for all.
Thomas Perryman is a junior history major and in his second year as a Demon VIP. “I think it’s important for a student to come because it’s an event for them to get involved in with the live music, tacos, and salsa dancing,” Perryman said, “It’s a cool duo moment for the first year experience office and International Student Services.”
The fiesta featured dancing lessons as a live Hispanic band provided fun dancing music perfect for dancing with friends or a significant other. Atziary Perez, a junior social work major and second-year Demon VIP, loves to dance and enjoy campus festivities. “They teach you how to salsa dance and it’s something fun for the foreign exchange students and first years, it’s something fun for the first weekend,” Perez said.
Krya Alexander is a freshman theater major who loves dancing and celebrating with her friends. They met before the event to practice salsa dancing and Alexander was excited to see that their practice paid off. “Once you stop worrying about everyone around you it’s really fun to meet new people, learn new things and it was really freeing to dance with everybody in the circle,” Alexander said.
To welcome new and returning students, Demon VIPs and the International Student Services decorated Collins Pavilion with colorful centerpieces and papel picado overhanging the union doors. Syrus Schafer is a freshman theater major from a Hispanic family in Texas who felt that the fiesta brought a piece of home. “I really like the live band because it helps people find other cultures and explore them in different and fun ways, and I think that’s pretty cool,” Schafer said.
Loghan Thomas, a sophomore physical science major, loves that the fiesta promotes mingling amongst students and allows new students to feel at home. “I like how everyone here is involved with talking to new people and meeting each other,” Thomas said. “It makes it feel very welcoming and fun.”
The fiesta’s relaxed and inviting atmosphere appeals to not only incoming freshmen, but also draws in a fair number of returning students to the celebration. Emily Waits is a junior accounting major who plans to attend the fiesta every year because it helps her build and create friendships. “It’s good to have something to do on the weekend, and I enjoy coming here with my friends to hang out and have a good time,” Waits said.
No Time for a Siesta, We’re Having a Fiesta will remain an important and impactful event for NSU’s diverse student life. Students enjoy the tacos, music and mocktails as they experience a part of the expansive Hispanic culture and diversify their own relationships.
