A Lunar New Year celebration

 SEB’s party didn’t exactly draw in a large crowd, but that might not be a bad thing. Many students may have already celebrated with their friends and family the night before.

When the clock struck twelve and last Wednesday came to a close, so did the year of the horse, making way for the year of the goat in the Chinese calendar. Within the Chinese zodiac the goat is a strong symbol of honesty, creativity and perseverance.

Similar to the American way of ringing in a new year, the Chinese New Year is typically celebrated with fireworks lighting up the sky. Tradition says that shooting off these fireworks helps ward off evil spirits while also bringing good luck.

In many Chinese communities, friends and family share a feast before taking part in a parade full of ringing gongs, clashing cymbals and intricate lion and dragon dances. Since the Chinese calendar is lunisolar, and because it is common for other cultures to celebrate the holiday, the Chinese New Year is often referred to as the Lunar New Year.

In honor of the occasion, the Student Events Board hosted a celebration with egg rolls and the Bruce Lee classic, “Return of the Dragon.” At 8 p.m on Thursday night, the Sports Zone lights were dimmed and the movie began, promptly.

Saying this was low-key compared to the traditional Chinese festival is a bit of an understatement. Event programmer and senior American studies major Brendan Chittick said, “One-off events tend to have lower attendance.” It appeared that very few of the people were there for the celebration. Although some snacked on the small buffet of egg rolls, they didn’t stick around for too long.

James Baker, a sophomore computer science major, did not attend the event, but celebrates the holiday with his family. “Usually it’s a large family gathering with a large meal at one of my grandparents’ houses. We exchange decorative little red envelopes with small amounts of money in them,” Baker said. Presenting money in these red envelopes is said to bless the receiver with happiness and good luck.

“All of the adults in the family usually pass their red envelopes to the children and tell them to say happy new year in Chinese,” said Baker. The red envelopes ritual is a common tradition but, as with most holidays, many families have created their own traditions as well.

If other students who celebrate the Lunar New Year have traditions like Baker, that might explain the low turnout at (seb)’s celebration. Many students may wish to ring in the new year with their loved ones in a special way.

2016 will be the year of the monkey. If (seb) gets the opportunity to host another party, anyone who’s interested in celebrating with a movie and some good food will surely be welcome to come. Even for those who will have already celebrated, there’s always time for an after party.

 

Photo Credit: Jamie Smith

What’s your green dot?

UMBC student affairs developed an organization called Green Dot to promote violence awareness and prevention. They are holding a training session next week. This organization seems to be very beneficial to students and the UMBC community.

The best friend of a UMBC student has been involved in a highly toxic relationship for over a year. There were signs: bruises, comments and eventually a full-on handprint. That student did not realize how to stop it or even discuss it.

Another student’s family member was also the victim of relationship violence. Hearing about it after it was over left the student feeling hopeless, feeling like they could have helped but didn’t.

These anonymous recollections by students relate incidents of relationship abuse. When help is not sought out in these situations, it leads to the manifestation of violent behavior. UMBC has established a movement to spread awareness of these circumstances and to provide education for students on handling abuse while promoting a safer community overall.

On Feb 28, UMBC student affairs is holding yet another Green Dot training session. It begins promptly at 11 a.m. in Commons 329 and ends at 4:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided.

A common theme arises from the stories shared by these students: a desire to stop the violence taking place. For those who feel conflicted or helpless when witnessing these situations, like they should do something but are unaware of the proper precautions for moving forward, the Green Dot training sessions can help. Within this program, students are educated about being active bystanders. They are taught how to react and how to prevent the violent behavior from escalating.

The organization wants to proactively build a culture that does not tolerate violence. According to statistics from student affairs, 97 percent of participants in Green Dot trainings at UMBC said they would do something or get assistance if they spot a difficult situation. Based on those percentages, it seems as though the training program is a rather positive influence to UMBC students.

Kim Leisey, the vice president of student affairs, has noticed that students have really benefited from the training.

Leisey said, “Students learned how to act even when scared.” Students have begun to realize they can make a significant impact to the community. Sometimes, all it takes is a boost of confidence and being attuned to common warning signs.

All students should clearly participate in this cause. Not only does it improve a student’s education about violence, it changes the atmosphere of the campus.

Be a part of the change. Become a green dot.

Don't forget that the first Speaker Series  of Spring 2015 is one week away!

Nina Beth Cardin, founder and director of The Baltimore Orchard Project (BOP), will be speaking to members of the UMBC community about BOP and how UMBC's Garden Project is getting involved.

“Every age faces challenges….some not easily resolved, but, unfortunately, often easily ignored as we wait (and hope) for others to address them. Right now in Baltimore there are people who are hungry and there are food deserts where people don't have access to healthy food. So what can be done and who should do it? When challenges arise, that's when entrepreneurs step in…and that's how social entrepreneur Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin decided to start The Baltimore Orchard Project(BOP).

The BOP is a diverse group of people who have joined together to grow, glean and give away fresh, healthy, local fruit to those in need in the neighborhoods of Baltimore. They bring together their knowledge, passion, and resources to turn waste into abundance. They glean fruit from trees in their yards, streets and civic places, fruit that would otherwise go to waste, and they distribute it to those in need. They partner with individuals and organizations in their community to plant trees, orchards and food forests (fruit trees, berry bushes and grapevines) on land that can provide a benefit to our neighbors, our towns, our children and ourselves, today and tomorrow.“

This Speaker Series will be help on March 4 at 12:00pm in Commons 331.

Don't forget that the first Speaker Series  of Spring 2015 is one week away!

Nina Beth Cardin, founder and director of The Baltimore Orchard Project (BOP), will be speaking to members of the UMBC community about BOP and how UMBC's Garden Project is getting involved.

“Every age faces challenges….some not easily resolved, but, unfortunately, often easily ignored as we wait (and hope) for others to address them. Right now in Baltimore there are people who are hungry and there are food deserts where people don't have access to healthy food. So what can be done and who should do it? When challenges arise, that's when entrepreneurs step in…and that's how social entrepreneur Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin decided to start The Baltimore Orchard Project(BOP).

The BOP is a diverse group of people who have joined together to grow, glean and give away fresh, healthy, local fruit to those in need in the neighborhoods of Baltimore. They bring together their knowledge, passion, and resources to turn waste into abundance. They glean fruit from trees in their yards, streets and civic places, fruit that would otherwise go to waste, and they distribute it to those in need. They partner with individuals and organizations in their community to plant trees, orchards and food forests (fruit trees, berry bushes and grapevines) on land that can provide a benefit to our neighbors, our towns, our children and ourselves, today and tomorrow.“

This Speaker Series will be help on March 4 at 12:00pm in Commons 331.

This summer will bring “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful”

This english indie-rock band is arguably the most popular band with a plus sign in its name and this summer they are releasing a brand new album.

Ask anyone who has ever heard a Florence + the Machine song what they thought of it and their reactions will be varied. Some will respond saying that the dream-like melodies make them want to frolic in a forest glen at twilight. Others will say that the dark and soulful lyrics make them want to conquer nations and wear red lipstick. One thing is for certain: this band is versatile. This is a band of artists.

Lead singer and songwriter Florence Welch has been described as eccentric and brilliant. Her lyrics are poetic while being both relatable and alien in nature, with haunting melodies and upbeat tempos. The band’s music deals primarily with fantasy and metaphor, making it somewhat of an oddity in the music industry. However, they have earned a lasting place in the hearts of fans everywhere.

The band has not released an album since 2011. “Ceremonials,” the band’s last album, dealt primarily with water and death. The album was very well received. The song “Shake It Off” was nominated for a Grammy and held a spot on the American Top 40.

The band recently announced that they will be releasing their third album “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful.” The announcement coincided with the release of their newest single, “What Kind of Man,” a song that is simultaneously romantic and desperate, accusatory and devotional, mystical and wistful. The single was released with an appropriately emotional music video.

No strangers to grand musical spectacles, all of the samples of upcoming songs appear to contain incredible orchestral accompaniment and poetic lyrics. Their music videos are artistic and surreal, something that fans have come to expect from the unique indie band.

Along with the new single, a teaser music video for the titular song of the album was released, allowing eager fans to sample more of what the album has in store. The single and teaser seem to promise fans an album that will be just as dreamy and catchy as its predecessors. The band also released the tracklist for the album. “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful” will be released on June 2 of this year.

 

Picture Source: http://consequenceofsound.net/2015/02/florence-and-the-machine-premiere-new-song-how-big-how-blue-how-beautiful-listen/