GATOR VARTA The Clock`s Turning Back!

University Of Florida
Indian Graduate Students’ Association
GATOR VARTA
Gator hours, Indian Times
Issue 8
October 2012
The Clock's Turning Back!
●Oct. 2012, Issue 8
Page 1
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
Heads Up, Fun Ahead!
We also
Well what do we have up next? We
took
got to see Gainesville celebrate Halloween in
time out to give back,
all its Spooky glory; about time we had a
by Volunteering for
festival, our own to celebrate! Diwali's round
Gator Nights!
the corner and it's time to light up our smiles
With lots of
as we rev up for the end of Fall!
Cool Stuff on at UF:
Now that we've something to look
we visit ISA's Garba
forward to, we'll take a quick backward
event, then learn to have healthy Saturday
glance at October's events! Game Night was
Morning fun! There's more: Useful shopping
awesome fun with some creative events: be it
Tips, results to SNAPIt!, Brilliant Student
the Minute-to-Win-It Games or the Scavenger
Art and an Invitation to have some great
Hunt, alongside Poker, BlackJack and Bingo.
Indian Food! What more could a Desi Gator
want?
Cheers!
Mohan
For more Info:
Published by
IGSA at UF
E-Mail us at:
[email protected]
Log on to our Web Site:
http://ufigsa.cloudaccess.net/
The IGSA Board
President
Navya Mastanaiah
Vice President
Avinash Kautham
Scan the code with
Your smart phone to
Direct to our website.
Treasurer
Rahul BS
Like us on Facebook
Social –Cultural Board
Rushabh Shah
Navina Ramesh
Nishant Gandhi
●Oct. 2012, Issue 8
Web Coordinator
Pallami Bhattacharjee
Editor
Mohan Ram Karthik
Editorial Board
Immanuel Henry
(Graphics Designer)
Manalee Nabar
Meenakshi Palaniappan
Secretary
Sudharshan Govindarajan
Page 2
Diwali Dhamaka: You're Invited!
Yes. It’s that time of the year again: Fireworks everywhere, meeting Friends, Tons of food at
home and new clothes to wear ...
It's DIWALI! :)
But what do you do, 8000 miles away from home ??
Well, there's no need to get homesick: IGSA invites you to our very first Diwali Dinner!
Come meet your friends over Dinner and celebrate Diwali.
Let us make your first Diwali away from home, a Night of fun, friends and food :)
November 13th @Stoneridge Apartments!
When & Where:
Dinner consists of a good quantity of Traditional Indian Fare, at a charge of $2 only.
• Roti
• Raitha
Menu:
• Chole / Channa Masala
• Jamun
• Biryani
• Water
Tickets: At least one among the following will be On-Campus during working days & hours!
Avinash Kautham
Nishant
Rahul
(513) 550 1959
(857) 210 3550
(352) 222 4541
Rushabh Shah
Sudarshan (Sydga)
(407) 300 3429
(352) 328 5722
Tickets available from November 3rd (Saturday) to 12th (Monday)
Tickets will NOT be provided on Event day!
Note: Food will be provided ONLY on showing tickets (RSVP is NOT enough). Do NOT
forget to bring it to the Event.
RSVP @: https://www.facebook.com/events/172741369531082/
●Oct. 2012, Issue 8
Page 3
Game Night Highlights!
A welcome break in the middle of the semester, and a chance to have a lot of fun. That's
what Game Night was all about! There were quite a few New events to keep the players excited,
including the Minute-to-Win-It Games (a series of do it in 1 minute Challenges) and the
Scavenger Hunt which challenged everyone's knowledge about the UF Campus and its various
Legends! There were also the classics: Poker, Black Jack and Bingo to keep the crowd engaged.
Winners of Scavenger Hunt: Vishnu, Akshay & Jolin
Here's the Scoreboard :)
●Oct. 2012, Issue 8
Game
Place
Winner(s)
Minute-to-Win-It
I Place
II Place
III Place
Anand
Pranav
Ravi
Poker
I Place
II Place
Pratik
Ajit
Black Jack
I Place
Manas
Scavenger Hunt
I Place
II Place
Akshay, Jolin & Vishnu
Devesh, Shitrali & Simir
Page 4
Volunteering @Gator Nights
When we weren't busy planning events, we took some time to Volunteer and enjoyed
ourselves doing so, at Gator Nights!
Here's Immanuel working the Soda Stand!
... and Avinash manning the Photo-editing Table
●Oct. 2012, Issue 8
Page 5
Event Feature: ISA Gator Garba 2012
Girls decked up in beautiful Ghagra cholis and guys dressed in a variety of Traditional Indian
attire brightened up the O’Connell Center on October 13th. With a great turnout, ISA’s annual
event, Gator Garba was definitely a hit!
For those of you who couldn’t make it, enjoy these photos and try to go out next year!
●Oct. 2012, Issue 8
Page 6
Student Passions & Involvement: Saturday Runs
The habitual early birds too find it difficult to be up before sunrise on a Saturday
morning! However some determined few do overcome this humongous task of waking up at
dawn and thus gear up for a run amidst the nature’s pathway!
Yes, a group of running enthusiasts gather every Saturday morning and hit the
Gainesville-Hawthorne trail – the exercise which is a part of the Gators for Asha organization. A
few miles drive and here we are – in a quiet wooded forest! It is absolutely worth the waking up
hardship that many of us have to face, for the trail takes you on some of the most serene paths
offering the much needed refreshment and recreation a tired soul yearns, thanks to the hustle
bustle of a busy week gone by. It is also a perfect destination for those willing to do some serious
running!
After a quick session of getting to know each other’s names often followed by the
“name” quiz wherein people are asked to recall each others’ names, begins a short session of
some stretching exercises. Finally the group is all set to head for the woods. Some like to run all
the way while some keep a balance between running walking and the remaining few find solace
in having a peaceful walk through the forest. The chilling morning breeze, the lush green line up
of trees and bushes, the chirping of birds, the occasional sighting of rabbits.. it all makes you feel
like the forest has come alive to take you on a tour amidst it’s scenic beauty and sweet melodies!
●Oct. 2012, Issue 8
Page 7
The trail has a few overlooks of the Payne’s Prairie and also there is the La Chua trail
which is the favorite amongst the first timers as it offers a very good chance to experience some
wild life up and close! It is not rare here to spot deer and wild horses. And yes of course, how
can we miss the gators gloriously basking in the morning sun alongside some beautiful cranes in
the background? The overlooks too are worth a stop by.
The 16 mile long trail is a totally apt destination for those intending to build up their
stamina. Despite not being very far from the highway, it offers a completely pollution-free path
and has a nicely paved track with some moderate uphill and downhill slopes. It is a very good
place for biking as well.
All in all, it is a haven for nature lovers and running freaks alike that come together to
sweat it out and experience an hour of truly enriching green!
So are you up for the run this Saturday?
Shweta Patil
I Year MS
MAE Department
To Sign-up for Saturday runs, follow Asha Uflorida / Gators for Asha's Facebook
Page@: https://www.facebook.com/groups/371831442855420/
Event Calendar
ASHA Potluck @Biven's Clubhouse
Sunday,
4th Nov '12
Friday,
9th Nov '12
Gator Growl @Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
13th Nov '12
IGSA Diwali Celebrations
Tuesday,
VISA International Week
 I-WEEK Potluck @Weaver Beach
 Epcot Themed Tabling Event
 Game Day
 Soccer Tournaments
TuesdaySunday,13-18th Nov '12
ISA Diwali Show @ Philips Center
Saturday,
●Oct. 2012, Issue 8
17th Nov ‘12
Page 8
Check this Out! Thrifty Treasures
Are you a student on a budget? Can’t stop converting dollars to rupees? Do you love to shop?
There is great news for you! Gainesville’s thrift stores are one of its best kept secrets. Whether
you are looking to buy something or not, these stores are like a treasure hunt, you never know
what you may find!
Here are some of the popular thrift stores in town. So, the next day you have off and are
looking for an adventure, go explore!
Flashbacks Recycled Fashions
What: clothes, shoes, accessories, vintage
knick-knacks
When: Mon – Sat 10 am – 6 pm
Where: 509 NW 10th Ave (Bus #: 1, 8)
Why: Spruce up your wardrobe & get
ready for the winter
Sandy’s Consignment Boutique
What: furniture, kitchenware, books,
DVDs, toys, clothes, shoes, accessories
When: Mon-Sat 10 am-7pm; Sun 12-6pm
Where: 4148 NW 13th St (Bus #: 6, 8)
Why: Get name brand fashions and
designer ware for cheap!
Habitat for Humanity ReStore
What: appliances, furniture, books,
household items
When: Mon – Sat 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
Where: 2317 SW 13th St (Bus #:12, 13, 36)
Why: Get some cheap furniture for your
new apartment, with cheap delivery too!
The Painted Table
What: house wares, accessories, furniture,
jewelry, antiques
When: Mon – Sat 10 am - 6 pm
Where: 2441 NW 43rd St, ThorneBrook
Village Store 5A (Bus #: 43)
Why: Browse for hours, find unique gems
Happy Thrifting!
●Oct. 2012, Issue 8
Page 9
Photography Contest: SNAPIt! Results
Mihika Kulkarni wins SNAPIt! with: "Burning in the Dark"
Mihika gets her SNAPIt! Entry hung outside the IGSA Office at CSAI, Reitz Union. Congratulations!
Finishing a close Second, we've Prasanna Venkat K, with his Snap: "Freedom"
Judges: We had Kunal Patankar, a photographer who specializes in nature and abstract photography &
PhD Student at the Mechanical & Aerospace Dept., and Immanuel Henry, IGSA's Graphics Designer &
first year Student at the Biomedical Dept. to judge the entries.
●Oct. 2012, Issue 8
Page 10
For the Judges' Portfolios, visit Kunal :
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151771615915150&set=a.10151768498095150.861482.
847035149&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150850929365150&set=a.10150239912575150.475699.
847035149&type=3&theater
Immanuel :
thisisimmanuel.deviant.com
Team Asha Kickoff & Potluck
●Oct. 2012, Issue 8
Page 11
Student Art!
Pencilled Grin by Arunkumar Mahadevan
Find more Digital Art by Arun @: heruka.deviantart.com
●Oct. 2012, Issue 8
Page 12