The walls were decorated with red banners and branches of yellow peach blossoms with red envelopes tied to them. Students and their families gathered around tables covered by red and yellow tablecloths. This year’s Lunar New Year Celebration was full of family and friends.
Hosted by Asian Student Union (ASU), the event was held Feb. 7 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Jackson Conference Center. Lunar New Year is celebrated across many cultures around the world on the first new moon of the calendar year. ASU organized the event to connect students from various cultures together for a night of fun.
A lot of preparation went into the Lunar New Year Celebration. It took 15 people, a combination of both officers and volunteers, an entire day just to decorate for the event.
There were multiple themed activities for attendees to engage in around the room, including lucky card decorating, origami, coloring pages and card games.
At the back of the room, there was a photo op area set up with a backdrop of pink flowers and a yellow dragon, as well as accessories like a present and masks for people to pose with.
Of course, there was also plenty of food. Members of ASU served an assortment of banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches), egg rolls, iced milk Thai tea, pocky and rice crackers.
All the work that went into preparation was worthwhile. By ASU advisor Tina Bui’s estimates, around 130 to 140 people came to the event. At its peak, there were about 70 people in the conference room at once.
“Evenings like this are close to my heart,” said club advisor Lijiao Serven. “Seeing people in the same room laughing and having fun reminds me of home.”
The two club advisors are also heavily involved in Transitional Studies, a program that helps house international students and supports immigrants getting started in the U.S.
“Many have degrees in their countries but have to restart,” said Serven. “They have to start all over because they don’t speak english.”
A portion of people attending the event were either current students or graduates who were involved in the program. Lunar New Year unites students, no matter the background.
“It’s like a symbol, a way to continue customs,” said student Suhan Li.
He wasn’t the only one who felt that way. For students like Eric Yin, it reminded him of when his family would get together for dinner.
“The goal is to bring everyone together, meet people, form connections and remind them where they came from,” said Serven.
For Bui, Lunar New Year at EvCC is more than just a party. It’s an event that brings the campus together.
“Everyone needs good luck for the new year.”
