UCLA graduate students came together on Wednesday at the second Grad Bar event of the year, celebrating Halloween with costumes, music, food and drinks.
The free event was put on by the Graduate Students Association as a social mixer for graduate students.
The Graduate Students Association hosts two to three Grad Bar events each quarter.
It has been a tradition for at least the past eight or nine years, said Arpi Siyahian, vice president of internal affairs for the Graduate Students Association.
GSA is able to fund the Grad Bar events, as well as other social events, through registration fees that every graduate student is required to pay each quarter.
Siyahian also added that Grad Bars are generally successful in terms of the number of students who attend the events, especially during Halloween.
Nurit Katz, the president of the GSA, said that the purpose of grad bars is to bring graduate students from different departments together to have a good time and to enjoy themselves.
As the night progressed, students from different departments began to mingle and introduce themselves to one another.
Many graduate students are aware that students from different departments do not usually associate socially with one another.
“It’s a nice way to meet people you would never know or meet,” said Neha Gupta, a law student who attended Grad Bar for the first time,
Guests said that despite what they felt was a limited selection of alcohol and food that disappeared within an hour, they were having a good time and enjoying themselves.
Since the event coincided with Halloween, many students arrived in costumes.
One group of male medical students dressed as Spartans donned in loin cloths, red capes and shields made of aluminum pans, as well as spears and swords constructed of cardboard and other household items.
“Any chance for free drinks, I’m always down,” said David Savin, one of the “Spartan” medical students.
Graduate student Linus Lim had suggestions for the next Grad Bar event.
“We should organize more (events), like a beach party on dry land, with lots of bikinis ““ for business and network purposes, of course,” he said jokingly.
Mike Wygant, a physiological science graduate student said the length of the line was “ridiculous,” but added that he felt the event served an important purpose for graduate students.
“Anytime you can dress up and act kooky, it’s always fun,” he said.