In 1983, the Serendipity committee was, “looking into the possibility of using a truck to mobilize the beer and keep it cold,” wrote Teresa H. Hymes in the March 25, 1983 issue of The Guilfordian. In ’83 students could buy Serendipity t-shirts and beer bracelets in Founders hall for $5. The tradition of beer trucks may be gone, but the students of Serendipity ’83 began other traditions that will be enjoyed during Serendipity 2005, March 18-19.

The rainstorm that accompanied Serendipity ’83 inspired an unplanned mud-wrestling event, which has become a traditional Serendipity activity. This year mud-wrestling and slip n’ slide will take place between Milner and Bryan hall on Saturday from 2-5 p.m.

Other scheduled events include Talib Kweli as the headlining artist, a Friday night performance of Reverend Pete’s Big Damn Band at the lake from 8-11 p.m., followed by the TigerBearWolf and St. Clare performance at the Student apartments.

On Saturday, Sodexho will provide lunch on Founders lawn beginning at 11 a.m. (weather permitting).Vendors and games will take over Founders lawn from 2-5 p.m. (rain site Alumni Gym).

Other Saturday afternoon activities will include henna tattoo artists, sumo wrestling, tarot card readings, climbing walls, airbrush t-shirt artist and musicians Owen and Jim Morrison. Sodexho will provide snacks and canned sodas.

Student Union and Adrienne Craig, Coordinator for Student Involvement and Leadership, want this Serendipity to be different from the rest.

“Everyone wants Serendipity, but why does it have to be the same routine?” said Craig. “We can keep some traditions. We know that there is going to be a concert. But, we don’t have to have a foam party every year or a party in Bryan.”

Inflatable games will not be featured this year because of a smaller Serendipity budget and the poor response they received during Homecoming.

“We were given a very small budget for Serendipity,” said Student Union President Sarah Green. “We weren’t allowed to spend more than $35,000. Last year a lot of the money went to Nappy Roots and all of the blow-up games.”

“We are trying to do different things without having the same old mold,” said Craig. “This will work. It is different, that is what I wanted to do.”

Other changes to this year’s Serendipity include it falling on an earlier date as well as official celebrations taking place only on Friday and Saturday.

The reasoning behind this year’s early Serendipity is to avoid conflicts with other events, such as an open house for prospective students, Easter and Guilford’s performance of The Importance of Being Ernest.

“The date of Serendipity was kind of frustrating,” said Green. “It is so close to spring break. The original idea of Serendipity was that it was a break right before finals.”

The shortened weekend is due to new policy.

“The administrators changed the rules,” said Green. “We are only allowed to do two days of activities. We kind of cheated and stretched it out to four days.”

“It is officially two days,” said Craig. “On that Wednesday and Thursday we have something less rowdy.”

The final event of Serendipity is the headlining artist. Talib Kweli will perform Sat. at 8 p.m. in Dana auditorium. B-Star of The Collective is the opening act.

Kweli is visiting Guilford as part of a college tour.

“It was kind of funny how we got him,” said Green. “We put in a bid for him several months ago and he took a bid that UNCG gave. We were thinking about getting Common after we couldn’t get Talib, to stay with the theme of a socially conscious artist. That didn’t work out. UNCG ended up canceling. We put in a second bid and we got him.”

“We worked really hard to get a really good main artist,” said Craig. “A diverse group of students have been excited; that is why we got him. He appeals to different groups of people.”

One of the largest concerns this year was where the concert will be. “Regardless of who we got, we did not want it in the gym,” said Green.

Many students walked away unsatisfied after last year’s Nappy Roots performance in the Alumni gym.

“The acoustics were so bad that it was like a high school dance,” said senior Rachel White.

“Students asked for Dana,” said Craig. “I am always trying to be a voice for the students and do things that students really want, as long as they are safe. I know Dana is the best venue for the concert.”

More regulations are applied when having concerts in Dana.

“Dana is an old venue; it is also a venue we use for a lot of important things,” said Craig.

No cigarette lighters, cameras, backpacks, food or drinks will be permitted in Dana. Due to fire codes, there will be no standing in the aisle or on seats.

“It is like a regular concert. It is not any stricter than if you were to go to the coliseum,” said Craig.

The TigerBearWolf show at the Student apartments is among one of many Serendipity traditions. St.Clare, consisting of Guilford students and alumni, will open for TigerBearWolf.

When asked to describe St.Clare’s music, guitarist and first-year Josh Shelton took a long pause. “I would call it, if it had to be categorized, and hopefully it doesn’t, progressive heavy rock, bordering on math rock, because we use a lot of complex rhythm changes.”

Though he is a first-year, Shelton had the opportunity to experience last year’s Serendipity. “I am really excited about the opportunity to play Serendipity and I feel that it is an honor. And I am really excited about our names being on the t-shirt.”

First-year Elizabeth Mehaffey said: “Serendipity sounds exciting. Everyone gets really excited about it and a lot of people say that springtime at Guilford is their favorite time of year. Honestly, the way it was described to me was lots of drunkenness and nakedness and running around.”