Southeast’s annual celebration of cultural diversity, Carpe Diem, was hosted by International Education and Services, providing a space for attendees to appreciate and celebrate diversity at the Student Recreation Center on Feb. 24.

The attendees had the opportunity to enjoy a buffet of different international cuisines, as well as little tastes of countries' food and culture, such as trying fruit leather from the Iran booth and trying on costumes at the Japan booth.

Sophomore Nursing Major Layne Collier looked forward to immersing himself in the many unique and vibrant ways through which various cultures express their identities and traditions.

“What drew me to Carpe Diem was the expression element that comes with it,” Collier said. “I know a lot of international students sometimes think when they come to an American University they think they can’t fully express themselves and their culture because they may feel like they are stuck in ours.”

At Carpe Diem, cultural booths were set up from each country to provide a captivating glimpse into each culture, allowing attendees to explore and appreciate the rich diversity.

Junior computer science major Ajwad Ahmed stated he was excited to see a little glimpse of home.

“This is where I get to see a part of home, see different cultures, and also dance,” Ahmad said. “I met most of my closest friends from Nepal at Carpe Diem. I think we could bring more culture into this like other people from other nations, but there’s always room for more.”

Sophomore Biomedical Science major Evelyn Wood expressed that her experience was gratifying and liked seeing the performances at the event.

“I really enjoyed watching all of the performances,” Wood said. “It was really cool to see all the different dances from different countries.”

Carpe Diem featured a stage where cultural music, dance performances, and a fashion show took center stage. 16 cultural groups participated, showcasing a diverse array of talents, including singing, dancing, and guitar playing. Judges declared the Bangladesh Student Association, Sae Takayanagi, and Nepal as the winners of the showcase without ranking them in any particular order.