Riding the Wave with Spring Break Lu’au

Anthony Tinay | Pulse

With Spring Break approaching, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has found a way to promote student safety while hosting a fun event for Vaqueros. 

The Spring Break Lu’au is an event held by UTRGV Students Rights and Responsibilities as part of the Vaquero Step Up program.

Kristina Yzaguirre, UTRGV Student Judicial Affairs Officer, is organizing the event as a way to support student safety. She cites the Lu’au is the Students Rights and Responsibilities’ signature event. 

“We want our students to have fun, and we want to educate them on making sure they’re safe while they’re enjoying their spring break,” Yzaguirre said. “Like planning their rides ahead of time, not going places alone, staying hydrated, protecting their bodies.”

The event is also acting as a fundraiser for multiple departments such as the UTRGV Counseling Center and Student Accessibility Services, all who will be holding tables selling a variety of food and snacks. Attendees will be able to enjoy free drinks and music from a live DJ.

The University Police Department will also be present with an educational drunk cycling simulation. The simulation will have participants navigating an obstacle course on a tricycle while wearing beer goggles. Providing a fun yet educational experience for students is a key goal of the Lu’au.

“We’re trying to teach students to have a safe, healthy culture at UTRGV,” Yzaquirre said.

The event’s promotion of the Vaquero Step Up Program has captured the attention of some students. Taytan Diaz, a theatre sophomore,who is appreciative of the event idea. To him, the event coinciding with the incoming Spring Break is good timing. 

“I think that’s one of the greatest ideas I’ve heard, because so many people go to the island just to put themselves in dangerous situations,” he said. 

Diaz also thinks that student safety awareness should be promoted more outside of the Spring Break Lu’au. 

“I absolutely think that more events that promote student safety should be promoted, because I think students aren’t aware of the dangers  that are everywhere, even on campus,” he added. 

Lorraine Pedraza, a theatre junior said while she’s aware of some resources on campus available to students in an uncomfortable situation, it’s always nice to have events promoting those resources. 

“I think it’s good to spread awareness about these kinds of things, because I think they do have to happen pretty often,“ Pedraza said. “I know there is the Office for Violence Prevention, you can report something to them if somebody is doing stuff to you, you can get something done about it.”

The Spring Break Lu’au will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Music, Science and Learning Center courtyard on the Brownsville campus and from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at the Quad on the Edinburg campus. For more information, students interested in attending the event can visit VLink.