Intercultural Center Hosts Monthly Feel Good Fridays
"I ain't no bungee expert or nothin', but I don't think he's supposed to be slamming into the ground like that." The pre-recorded laugh track mixes seamlessly with the genuine laughter of the audience gathered in the Intercultural Center (IC) for the “Fresh Prince Friday” edition of Feel Good Friday, a new monthly event that features a myriad of casual, student-directed activities and a chance to unwind with friends and music at the end of the week. In line with the event’s theme, highlights from the much-beloved TV series, the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” are projected on the screen in the back of Delphine Lounge, and large circular tables have been set up with activities based on the show’s characters and situations. Students can grab plates of food, use paint and craft supplies to customize their own hats and canvases, make balls with sand and balloons, or simply recline with friends and bob their heads in time to the classic ’90s pop hits in the background.
Feel Good Friday is a monthly event that began in fall 2016. “Our purpose was to get students acquainted with these spaces in the hopes that they'd return for other programming throughout the year,” said Miranda Heaney ’17, who helped create the program. “It's a great way to bring new folks in to meet student and professional staff, as well as get lunch and take a break. ... Additionally, it's a great way to relax. It's an easy way to offer quick activities to students in a no-pressure environment, because they can come and go.”
Food for the event is provided by an outside vendor (unaffiliated with Sodexo) that offers a wide range of options, from Thai to Italian, and student staff choose the themes and activities. “Many students face food insecurity at Saint Mary's, and Feel Good Friday offers them a meal without the stigma of admitting they don't have lunch,” said Heaney.
Most students are more accustomed to the Intercultural Center’s educational dialogues, and many learn too late that the IC also welcomes students who simply want to relax or have fun. Heaney’s senior thesis investigated students' perceptions and knowledge of the Intercultural Center, and although 95 percent of students in her sample said that they had heard of the IC, 35 percent said they didn't know they were allowed to use the IC as a study/hangout space. The Intercultural Center space is open for all students to study, nap, or hang out with friends, and the staff hopes that the high-energy, low-pressure Feel Good Friday will help attract students.
The next Feel Good Friday is Oct. 6, 12:30–2 p.m. in the Intercultural Center. This month’s theme is “Hafa Adai, it's Faguålo' Friday: A FGF Event.” Faguålo' means October in Chamorro (the native and spoken language of the indigenous people of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands) and October, of course, evokes Halloween.