Quinn Hagerty

He/Him

Staff Writer

3/3/24

Plymouth State University’s Asian Student Union formed only just last semester, and yet the club has already been a demonstration of what passion and commitment look like. Participating in the Mutli-Cultural Fair last November, with a plentiful amount of booths to show off club members heritage, food, or dress, the club returns with its first own event in a similar vein – The Spring Festival, held on February 28th, 2024.

The festival was a celebration of certain new years related traditions or celebrations held in the Philippines, Vietnam, India, and China, with each country being represented by students of that culture, sharing all the things they loved and thought were important about it.

To share a snapshot of each table, the students representing the Philippines made a presentation about Media Noche, the Filipino new years celebration. celebrated with a grand feast that also included many fruits like watermelon and pineapple.

At the Vietnam table, a gambling game commenced (though no real money was used, of course) where one would bet on one of six blocks, and then dice were rolled in a bowl to determine a winner.

India doesn’t have a literal parallel to western new years, but the events they put on are extravagant all the same, with large gatherings of dancing, and festivals of rich history and lore lasting 10 days.

The students representing China shared the significance behind the red envelopes synonymous with the Chinese Lunar New Year and how door decorations of the Chinese Zodiac were used to bring in good luck.

Attempting to describe the tables and events doesn’t do the real presentations justice though, as experiencing the games played and hearing the words spoken from people who feel so strongly about their culture they wish to share it out with the rest of the world is a whole other level of experience.

This event took place in the passway of the HUB, and saw a lot of attraction to those simply walking by. What this event really cements though is just how important it is that this club exists – as both an outlet and way of connection for Asian students, and a point of information for uniformed students.