Since the school year began, Stanislaus State’s Asian Pacific Islander Club (API) planned their annual trip to CSU Fullerton’s 33rd Annual Friendship Games. The event took place on Oct. 20 and was held on CSU Fullerton’s campus. API’s Friendship Games Coordinator, Erika Concepcion said, “Friendship Games is a really good environment where many different cultures specifically the Filipino culture come together and have a day to not only celebrate their culture but also meet other people that they can relate to from different schools.” However, the Games are extremely welcoming of anyone who would like to attend regardless of their ethnicity. 
The Friendship Games consisted of four events: Roll Call, Games, SPUFs and Final Rampage. “Roll Call” is an introduction of your club where you choreograph a one-minute long dance to a soundtrack you create. The “Games” are picnic games that are refereed and scored based on your placing. “SPUFs” are chants that you create to follow your university’s theme. “Final Rampage” is for the Top 3 universities who score the most points in the Games.
The event was taken seriously by many students including Erika Concepcion. Concepcion traveled from Tracy to take part in the small club. “I travel far because I feel like I really believe in this club and I really enjoy the club and I have made so many great friends that it really is worth the travel to be here,” said Concepcion on her dedication to this club and event.
For many members in the Asian Pacific Islander Club, Friendship Games is a way for them to relieve stress, celebrate their culture, and create bonds that can last a lifetime. “I feel like that’s the only way we get to meet schools from Arizona, to meet these people from the Bay Area that we don’t usually get to connect with, but in that one event we’re all at Friendship Games, we’re all chanting at each other and connections you’ll be able to make are just—I feel like you can’t get that anywhere else,” said API’s President, Ariana Marsh.
The feelings seem to be mutual among the officers, “The friendship bond and everything I have never experienced. I could say that I didn’t know anybody when I first joined the club and especially since I’m from LA so I knew nobody here. So joining this club made a really big impact so going to Friendship Games, meeting 44 different schools, knowing their culture…it was unifying,” said API’s Publicist, Yvonne Lee.
All in all, Friendship Games has played a huge role in uniting many of API’s members and making them feel welcome every time they come back.