KARLA SHIRVANIAN | STAFF WRITER
This week I had three GYRAD events. This is not because I am sought after all the time, but because I am an resident advisor (RA) in University Park and I am engaged to another RA in the Shire Mods and this week was GYRAD event time in both living areas.
I remember when I was a sophomore living in the Shire it was one of the most fun events I had attended. It was right before Christmas so there were pictures with Santa Claus and a lot of hang out time. We then went to ESPN Zone in downtown Disney, ate, hung out and played games at the arcade. It was fun.
Yet, I definitely did not feel the same way about this week. It may be because there were some many I felt the pressure, but I was a little less than thrilled to go.
Now the first GYRAD, a staff date so it was relatively small, was a little bit of an adventure, we had a scavenger hunt and then were going to eat at the Rainforest Café in downtown Disney, reminiscent to the first time I had attended GYRAD two years earlier. But, we are poor college students so we ended up going to Denny’s. Not going to lie, would not say the best date ever, but I did spend a lot of time laughing with my friends and the ridiculous things that happen at Denny’s.
Number two: this one was for UP B-Court. It was chill and relaxed. Pizza party and roller-skating, nothing too crazy or full or fancy clothes. My date was working so I instead went stag, along with a couple of people on my staff. It was a little bit rushed, trying to get the food there on time, printing directions, cleaning up and then heading to Chino to roller skate.
Yet, I must say some of the most fun. I tried to skate, but when we were doing a chain I fell right on my butt and took my friends down with me, making it the end of the night for me. Instead, I sat around and talked to people, and, did I mention, people watched.
We were at a roller rink, so it was fun to see the different kinds of people that were there, there were kids in about the fifth grade, families and a bunch of APU college students. I sat there with friends and talked about life, I also watched people skate backwards and do all these crazy tricks I clearly cannot do (remember earlier I fell on my butt?). It was just a fun time to relax chill and listen to music, did I tell you it was disco night?
The next night, GYRAD number three. This was in the Shire and it was the night I got to dress up and hang out without being one of the planners, wonderful. The “night under the stars” was a time to hang out in the RecRoom, where they had a raffle, awesome music playing (props to Daniel Atwell and Clifford Gee), and a photographer.
We then headed off to a restaurant, delicious, I would recommend crab and artichoke dip if you have never had it. The night was then topped off by going to the Griffith Observatory with a lot of Shire and APU to hang out under the stars.
So, although I was not excited to go to three GYRADs in one week, it turned out pretty great and I spent a lot of time laughing, having fun and relaxing where I did not have to think about homework or the worries of life. Now back to the reality of studying, school and responsibilities, it was fun while it lasted though.