The Student News Site of University of Arizona

The Daily Wildcat

62° Tucson, AZ

The Daily Wildcat

The Daily Wildcat

 

RHA’s The Rave gives students the chance to dance and learn

UA+students+break+out+dance+moves+while+learning+about+alcohol+awareness+at+the+Residence+Hall+Associations+The+Rave+event+on+the+UA+Mall.+The+event+provided+alcohol-free+beverages+for+students+to+enjoy+during+the+event.
Courtney Talak

UA students break out dance moves while learning about alcohol awareness at the Residence Hall Association’s The Rave event on the UA Mall. The event provided alcohol-free beverages for students to enjoy during the event.

The UA Residence Hall Association will host The Rave on the UA Mall on Friday, March 31, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. RHA is providing this event as an opportunity for students to enjoy themselves on a late night without having to drink alcohol. Any student can attend, resident to campus or not. All they need is their CatCard to be able to get in.

The event will include dancing, music provided by Live Nation, colorful non-alcoholic “mocktails” and swag bags filled with things to remind students of the night they had. There will also be a photo booth so students who attend can share their experiences on social media.

RELATED: Student Union to hold contest for rooftop garden design

RHA thinks it’s important that students have fun alongside their classmates without having to resort to activities that involve alcohol. Events like the RHA Rave provide students, particularly those who live on campus, a late-night alternative that is free of alcohol yet fun.

Saul Roman, the director of programming for RHA and a sophomore majoring in communications, was involved in putting together The Rave. He finds great importance in events like these where students can learn about alcohol consumption and how to do it safely in an environment that is entertaining and more hands-on than a lecture hall.

“We do focus on the educational, but we are not putting it directly in your faces,” Roman said. “We do it in a way that will capture your interest and really help you drink safely or go out safely.”

Roman said he wants students to get a lot out of events like these, especially great memories of a Friday night as well as a higher understanding of alcohol awareness.

“It focuses on the wellbeing of students who do go out and that’s why it’s on a Friday from seven to 11 because we know at that time, a lot of people go out, so it’s to provide an alternative of going out,” Roman said.

He is looking forward to see many “smiles and faces” and for Wildcats to get into the spirit of the event and dance.

Alyssa Salvaggio, the director of marketing for RHA and Roman’s partner in putting the event together, is also excited for The Rave.

She believes The Rave is a chance for lots of people to meet and have fun, which is important for her.

“I definitely think it builds a sense of community,” Salvaggio said. “It’s such a large event and it brings a lot of students together in a very safe environment.”

RELATED:  UAPD, ASUA and SHAC educate students on safety during spring break

Other organizations also are involved with the event. They are all working toward the common goal of educating students about alcohol awareness while making sure that they have a good time.

Campus Health is helping promote the event and will be there giving out information. University of Arizona Police Department will also be there.

Mike Schilling, who is head of the Cats after Dark committee, believes late-night opportunities like The Rave are important.

“We don’t want students to have to make the choice to stay inside and do nothing, rather than going out and drink alcohol when they don’t want to,” Schilling said.

UAPD wants to teach students more about alcohol awareness and drunk driving through mock sobriety tests they will be conducting at the event. Students will be able to act like they are getting pulled over and do a DUI test, so they can know what it’s like.

Sergeant Cindy Spasoff, the Crime Prevention Sergeant and Public Information Officer for UAPD, is looking forward to being at the event.

She is looking forward to teaching students about alcohol awareness and just being around them.

“We’re not there to do any enforcement or track anybody down,” Sgt. Spasoff said. “We’re just there to have fun and answer questions for students.”

She also said there’s a reason that she and her fellow officers work at UAPD, which is that they like interacting with students.

“I love having fun with the students and I like to get their perspective on stuff and there’s not a better feeling than somebody who is a little bit scared of a police officer coming up and talking to us and then realizing at the end of the conversation that we’re really not that scary,” Sgt. Spasoff said.


Follow Melissa Vasquez on Twitter.


More to Discover
Activate Search