On the week of Chinese New Year (February 12, 2021), TWU Richmond has designed a series of time-slots for individual students to walk through the university and visit specially-created game and gift booths.
Traditionally, it is very important for families to be together during Chinese New Year. This year, however, TWU estimates that a significant percentage of our students will be celebrating this holiday separated from their families.
As such, the TWU Richmond Student Life team have planned a special way to connect with students far from home.
Amy Saya, Student Life Intern at TWU Richmond, along with Vera Xiong, Student Life Coordinator at TWU Richmond, said, “It is our goal to help students feel loved and supported during this large celebration by reaching out to students through a Spring Festival at Lansdowne called ‘Rock with the Ox’ celebration for the year of the ox.”
‘”Rock with the Ox” is COVID-safe, walk-through experience designed for individual students to enjoy and participate in.
How it works is that individual students sign up to reserve their time slot. Temperature checks and sanitation measures will be in place. When the students arrive at their scheduled time, they walk past a series of stations, following a one-way path.
Saya explains each of the creative walk-through stations. At the first station, “They pick up a gift bag of popular Spring festival candies and a red envelope.” The red envelope will include a Bible verse along with a surprise gift. The next station will be for calligraphy, with brushes and tables sanitized. “Students will be able to draw in calligraphy...the word for fortune and blessing,” said Saya. “Then they can take it home and use it for décor.” The third station is a themed photo booth, set up along a large wall with enough space for physical distancing. “Because it’s the year of the ox, we will have ox (themed) props,” said Saya. Students can have their photo taken with a Polaroid camera, and take the picture home as a keepsake.
“We’re really making it very festive,” Saya enthused. “We’ll have lanterns and decorations throughout the courtyard.”
Saya and her team hope that the atmosphere can bring joy and uplift students’ spirits.
“We’re hoping to make it very esthetically pleasing and celebratory for the students, so that when they walk in, even though there are very few of them allowed in at a time, they’ll have a bit of joy and comfort seeing all of the beautiful lanterns and decorations that would remind them of home.”
The final station is a blessing station, hosted by the TWU Wellness Centre. “Right before [students] leave, they will receive a blessing, a word of encouragement, or payer if they would like to be prayed for,” Saya explained. She noted that, in Asian tradition, it is common to exchange words of blessing during Chinese New Year.
Throughout the day, video clips from Chinese New Year’s Eve shows will be projected on screens and monitors, “Just to create an atmosphere of celebration and fun,” said Saya.
Saya and her team have a desire to connect with students meaningfully during this time. They know that for many students, Chinese New Year is “bigger than Christmas,” and so they want to make this time especially meaningful for the student community.
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to establish meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vital faith community committed to forming leaders to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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