Priyanka Patel (’13) and Rivfka Shenoy (’13)

Campus Celebrities: Priyanka Patel and Rivfka Shenoy
 
Name: Priyanka Patel
Hometown: Overland Park, Kansas
Major: Anthropology/ Pre-Med
Year: 2013
Self Description: Bubbly and Determined 
Major: Neuroscience/ Pre-Med

Name: Rivfka Shenoy
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Year: 2013
Self Description: Energetic and Focused
 
 With Diwali in the horizon and on everyone’s mind, it may be easy to forget how much must go on behind the scenes of one of Washu’s most incredible productions.  Most may not even be aware who the masterminds behind the spectacular this year even are!  You may find these two bubbly beauties laughing together around campus, finishing each others sentences, or taking notes in your pre-med classes.  Not only are both girls on Ashoka, but Rivfka is also on Kappa Exec, Priyanka owns an eco-friendly clothing company, and they both love to eat!  Don’t let their approachable, fun natures fool you: Priyanka Patel and Rivfka Shenoy know how to run sh**!
 
HC: What are your positions for Diwali this year?
 
RS: We’re the Co-Culturals for Ashoka Exec.  We are personally in charge of running Diwali.
 
PP: We are also both in Raas, the exec dance, fashion show and junior class dance.  This is our first year in our positions as co-culturals, but we have both been in Diwali in past years. 
 
HC: What does that entail?
 
PP: We have to make sure everything is ready in Edison Theatre and with the dances. 
 
 
RS: It’s basically a job that goes on all the time.  We often get emails about Diwali from 2-3 am.  I’m really interested in it, so it’s constant, but really fun.
 
PP: We always have so many different things to do!  Our tasks range from figuring out music to emailing Bill Larson who works for Edison, [from] tickets to talking to choreographers, etc. 
 
HC: What are some things you have done to PR Diwali?
 
PP: The amazing dining service in the DUC made us Diwali cupcakes for free.  PRing has helped us get to know so many people that do so much for groups on campus. 
For instance, Jill Duncan, an administrator of the dining service has helped us out a lot.  Ibby’s [also] had an Indian special to promote Diwali.
 
RS: I’m working on a presentation where a clip of a dance will be performed outside the DUC.  We will walk from the library to the DUC with a guy playing a drum.  Organizing events like this have helped us get to know the ins and outs of Washu so well. 
 
HC: Has this been anything like you expected it would be?
 
RS: I’ve been surprised with how well we are getting to know WashU and its resources.  Priyanka and I try to split up as much as we can and delegate.
 
PP: I thought it was going to be a lot harder than it has been.  It is stressful,l but really not that bad.  It’s mostly fun!
 
HC: What is a challenge you guys have faced? 
 
PP: Trying to make everyone happy is really hard.  There are so many different groups. Sometimes when we are PRing, it’s hard to remember to include everyone and make everyone happy.
 
HC: Do you have any Diwali nightmares?
 
RS: The scary thing about Diwali is it’s such a huge tradition on Washu’s campus, and people invest so much in it. Alumni from 3-4 years ago come back and it is a really big challenge to make sure it lives up to that tradition.  People will be very critical.  South Asians are blunt and we really want to make everyone proud
 
HC: Is it fun working together at such an important task?
 
PP: We have a lot of fun together.  We have a sense of humor that works well together.  (They look at each other, laughing)  
 
RS: Priyanka and I work brilliantly together.  Delegating to other people can be hard.  We feel like we want everything to be perfect and it’s hard for us to give a job to someone else because we have a specific vision.  We have to be constantly on [top of things] and always be in contact with everyone at once.  
 
PP: We really learned how to work well with each other.  With Holi last semester and Diwali now, we have adapted to each other’s learning styles.  I think this will help us in life overall with learning how to work with other people. 

RS: Also, we’re both just really weird!  It’s great!
 
HC: Is there anything new we should be looking out for at Diwali this year?
 
PP: Class dances are new; each class will have its own dance.  We also made an effort to make the skit more applicable to Washu students as a whole.  In the past, it was mainly directed [toward] South Asian kids, or it was too complex to be funny.  This year we are hoping everyone in the audience will enjoy and relate to it.  We also have shortened Diwali as a whole.
 
 HC: How long have you been working on this?
 
RS: We have been planning since early summer.  Naomi Daradar is our faculty advisor and [she] has helped out tremendously. Shout out to Naomi!
 
HC: How do you feel about Diwali after spending so much time on it?
 
RS: One of the reasons I wanted to work with Priyanka and in this position in general is for the sense of community.  We all hang out and have an amazing time together.  Diwali brings people together, and there is definitely a sense of community during rehearsal and all the time.  I get so stoked for the show. There so much spirit in it!
 
PP: Diwali has had such a significant impact on my Washu experience. Working with Rifka is just the cherry on top.  You bond so much with the people in it and make so many new friends, especially in different grades.  When I was a sophomore, I got to know such fun Seniors who would drive me places, etc.  It made me feel more at home with the WashU community.  Your dance team or act is like your little family.
 
HC: What do you think the turnout will be like?
 
RS: For Friday night, all 600 tickets sold out on the first day tickets opened to general admission.  Saturday is already almost sold out.
 
HC: Wow, that’s impressive!  Although it’s a South Asian tradition, do students from other cultures get involved?
 
PP: It’s so great that we’re so proud of our culture and that other people from other backgrounds are so into it.  It’s awesome that people of every background want to get involved!
 
HC: What’s your favorite part about Diwali?
 
PP: We sometimes practice until 2 or 3 am and we had practice at 7am the other day.  We just spend so much time together putting on this thing; it is so much fun and everyone loves it. 
 
RS: It is really amazing that we have this thing that incorporates our traditions as Indian-Americans, and everyone thinks it’s cool.
 
HC: Thanks so much Priyanka and Rivfka!  HC WashU readers, get pumped for Diwali, the event of the season!