Chinese food, music and culture filled the Brower Student Center on Thursday, Jan. 26 in celebration of the Chinese New Year.
The festivities included a demonstration of the traditional dragon dance, festive decorations, fortune cookies and Chinese astrological calendars.
“It was an interesting change of pace. It’s nice to celebrate a different culture,” said Tom Leonhardt, freshman history and secondary education double major. “Most days, the Stud is boring and slow-paced.”
In addition to the drumming and decorations, the Lion’
s Den also had special Chinese selections.
“It was nice to have a change in the dining,” freshman finance major Nick Rubino said. “The same food gets boring after a while.”
In addition to the new cuisine, astrological calendars also gave insight to the traditional Chinese culture.
The Chinese Zodiac is based on a 12-year cycle, with each year represented by a different animal. The traditional Chinese belief is that the year in which a person was born holds the key to his personality and well-being.
For example, those who are born in 2012, the year of the dragon, are said to be full of vitality and enthusiasm. These people are typically intelligent, gifted and perfectionists. They would do well as an artist, priest or politician.
“I liked reading about my own personality,”
said Nina Ventresco, freshman psychology major.
Although the food was delicious and the music enjoyable, the most interesting part for many was reading their fortunes.
Freshman history and special education double major Diane Iannacone’s fortune read, “You will be attracted to an older and more experienced person.”
Other fortunes included “New and rewarding opportunities will soon arise” and “You will get more secure and confident in your relationships with coworkers.”
Overall, the celebration was a success. Freshman economics major, Matt Scapardine stated, “I appreciate the presence and the awareness of the Chinese new year. It was festive and fun.”
