Students enjoyed Chinese dumplings, jelly desserts and various drinks under red lanterns that hung from the ceiling of the fourth floor at 618 S. Michigan Ave. building. Music filled the space as some students did karaoke, while others talked and enjoyed their food.
The Lunar New Year is celebrated throughout the world, and on Wednesday, Jan. 29, it marked the start of spring and the first day of the Year of the Snake, one of 12 Chinese zodiac signs. The Year of the Snake is all about shedding bad energy.
The Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade will take place on Feb. 9. But on Friday, Jan. 31, Columbia College celebrated the annual festival hosted by the International Students and Scholar Services.
Sydney Rutledge, a first-year film and fashion major, decided to come to the event to meet new people outside of the film scene and connect with others. Rutledge had previously celebrated on Wednesday with their roommate.
On the actual start of the New Year during the middle of the week, Rutledge and their roommate wore red items for good luck, did not clean that day and enjoyed miso ramen and dumplings during their celebration.
“I think it’s kind of fun,” Rutledge said. “It’s great because my actual New Year sucked so it feels nice to kind of have a do-over and celebrate this new year.”
Feihong Guo, a junior arts management major and an international student ambassador, saw the event as a way for students from all over to connect with one another, talk and laugh together.
“I feel like this is gonna be a better opportunity for students from all over the world to come together and experience this kind of atmosphere,” Guo said.
Some Lunar New Year celebrations across the world were even cancelled or muted due to political reasons.
Michigan State University cancelled an annual Lunar New Year celebration following executive orders from Trump that target diversity, equity and inclusion policies and because of concerns for student safety, The State News reported.
Columbia College is a private college.
Sarah Attefall, an intern for ISSS, was happy with the turnout at Columbia’s event, noting that she saw a lot of people come through the event.
“I think it’s really cool how people of all different cultures can come together and celebrate this event,” Attefall said.
An attendee, Matt Martirez, a sophomore creative writing major, found the event to be organized and overall a fun atmosphere.
“I’ve tried to come out to multiple different events and it’s good to see a diverse and collected group of people,” Martirez said.
Though the ISSS hosts monthly International Student mixers, the Lunar New Year was their first big event of the semester. Future events are announced on Engage and via their Instagram.
Copy edited by Trinity Balboa
Resumen en Español:
El viernes, 31 de enero, la organización de Estudiantes Internacionales y Servicios Académicos organizó la celebración anual del Año Nuevo lunar, antes del desfile en Chinatown que ocurrirá el 9 de febrero. Los estudiantes celebraron en el edificio de 618 S. Michigan Ave. con tradiciones del día festivo, como karaoke y empanadillas chinas, linternas rojas y más.
Resumen en Español por Sofia Oyarzún
Texto editado por Doreen Abril Albuerne Rodriguez