Students welcomed the Year of the Snake by attending celebrations on- and off-campus.
The atmosphere of the Lunar New Year was filled with Asian traditions. Students feasted on dishes with their families for good luck fortune. Red envelopes were exchanged and firecrackers were popped as families welcomed the Year of the Snake.
The Council of Ethnic Organizations celebrated the Lunar New Year on Thursday with lion dances, dumplings and milk tea to promote the awareness of Asian cultures on campus.
Spanish senior Long Le is a member of CEO who believes in encouraging cultural understandings.
“Asian culture is very important, and it’s a big part of the UH image of diversity,” Le said. “The school is known for its diversity, so the image of this school should be the celebration of cultures.”
Le celebrated the new year by gambling and eating Vietnamese delicacies, and he received a great number of red envelopes from his family.
The Chinese Community Center in Southwest Houston held its annual Chinese New Year festival on Saturday. Acts including traditional Chinese dances and martial arts performed for the crowd. The parking lot was lined with food stands, games and local organizations’ tents. Jesse Yao, a hotel and restaurant management freshman, has attended the festival four consecutive years.
“The best part about Chinese New Year is having a blast when everyone gets together,” Yao said. “We always go to a family friend’s house to have a giant potluck. The adults typically play mahjong (a popular Chinese game) and sing karaoke after dinner.”
Mechanical engineering freshman Quyen Nguy also attended the event and shared his family’s new year traditions.
“My family visits three temples every year, worships the gods for health and prosperity and celebrates at my cousin’s house,” Nguy said. “The best part of it all is the money though. I’m a poor college student, so red envelopes bring joy into our lives!”
