Asian Students in Action (ASiA) hosted a Lunar New Year Festival after school on the Quad on Jan. 27. Students celebrated the holiday with a buffet of various Asian food and a variety of activities, including a spicy ramen eating challenge and cookie carving from the Korean-based show “Squid Game”.
The proceeds from the event were donated to Tzu Chi USA, an organization providing resources to help victims of the Los Angeles fires.
ASiA co-leader Hudson Chen ’25 said the Lunar New Year celebration emphasized community and culture.
“I’ve gone to this event since ninth grade, and I’ve had a great time every year,” Chen said. “Every year this remains ASiA’s biggest event, and we get consistent turnout. I love the sense of togetherness the community has, whether we’re playing a game or grabbing food. Even to get the parents’ support with catering food every year means a lot.”
ASiA member Ivy Wang ’26, who lived in China, said she appreciates the club’s dedication to preserving Asian culture and holidays.
“When I was a young girl in Shanghai, Lunar New Year was always my favorite day of the year,” Wang said. “We celebrated for a week straight, eating so much food and seeing all types of performances at school. When I moved here, I worried about not being able to celebrate, and risk losing the culture that made up so much of my identity, which is why I’m so grateful that ASiA hosts their Lunar New Year celebrations each year.”
Zach Zhang ’26 said he attended because of the opportunity to eat good food and celebrate the holiday with his friends.
“I really liked the variety of food, and I thought that the popcorn chicken and Korean fried chicken were especially good,” Zhang said. “It was also fun to hang out with all of my friends and see them outside of class.”
Wang said the event was a meaningful way to unwind from academic pressures.
“Moments like these remind me how lucky I am to be in a community that honors different cultures and allows us to share them with each other,” Wang said. “In such a stressful time of the year, it made me so happy to see people laugh and enjoy each other’s company.”
