Aztec Nights Gets a Pop of Color
The first-ever SDSU Paint Blast added to a list of successful Aztec Nights events.
As the sun went down last Saturday, one of the most colorful parties of the year was just beginning at San Diego State University.
Paint Blast, a newcomer among Aztec Nights’ five-week lineup of events, welcomed 3,500 new and returning students to a night of messy fun. The energy was palpable, the music booming and the festivities were just as vibrant as the neon paint streaming through the air.
"We want paint!"
While chants of “We want paint!” filled the party tent on Aztec Walk, junior psychology major Joshua Drayer filled his paint sprayer and got to work turning the crowd into a multicolored canvas.
Members of the Filipino-American Cultural Organization, Andres Bonifacio Samahan, took turns with Drayer spraying 500 gallons of paint into the crowd throughout the night and into the early morning hours.
“We’ve never had a paint party on campus,” Drayer said. “Usually you have to go somewhere else to find something like that, so the fact that they’re hosting this close is really awesome.”
In fact, keeping the party close to home is a key factor in the success of Aztec Nights. Each year the program delivers on its promise to provide vibrant campus nightlife and social opportunities in a safe, substance-free environment.
Connecting to campus
Timothy Quinnan, associate vice president for campus life, has overseen the launch and continued execution of Aztec Nights.
Quinnan said that Aztec Nights have become an integral aspect of the Aztec experience since the event became a campus tradition five years ago.
“Many students now believe that you’re not a true Aztec until you’ve experienced Templo Del Sol and other Aztec Nights events, which they see as a rite of passage,” Quinnan said.
After the first round of paint blasting, mechanical engineering freshman Nani Capuchin made her way out of the tent and onto the field to take a picture with a group of equally paint-soaked friends. She said Aztec Nights has helped her meet new people and develop a sense of Aztec pride during her first weeks as an SDSU student.
Capuchin now joins Drayer and thousands of students whose memories created at Aztec Nights will endure long after the neon paint has faded from their white t-shirts.
The back-to-school bash will continue until the end of September with more Aztec Nights events, including Screen on the Green, Monte Carlo and Headphone Disco.
