Diwali.

A friend of mine graciously invited me to her Diwali celebration on the 4th of November. Diwali, or Deepawali, gets its name from the Sanskrit word deepavali, which means "row of clay lamps (NPR). This Indian Holiday celebrates light overcoming darkness, making all forms of lights including candles, string lights and fireworks key elements. Some 70 odd guests and myself were given sparklers and sent outside to the Szanto Dormitory courtyard where some girls dressed in shining Indian dresses were already lighting candles in the shape of an even larger candle. Once all the candles were lit and everyone was together we shouted "Happy Diwali!" and the sky filled with light and laughter.

The food was also a significant part of my Diwali experience and I was so amazed at how much I could try! 10 out of 15 dishes were vegan (all of them were vegetarian) which has seriously never happened at any party ever. Everything tasted absolutely amazing and the best part was how the people dishing the food so thoughtfully found the individuals who prepared each dish to inquire about the ingredients. The wonderful evening was finished with a large fill of fast traditional dancing then a beautiful walk home.