Spring Retreat by Codie Boyd
A new semester at K-State means new beginnings in classes and in Smurthwaite. So, to start our semester in the house off right, we had our Spring Retreat. This year’s Spring Retreat had several events ranging from bonding activities to a Chiefs watch party. The theme for the house this semester is the Wizard of Oz and several of our activities were related to this theme. One activity that we did was titled “In Search of a Brain”. This activity was a scavenger hunt where we all followed clues to find brooms that we needed to take to the “Wizard” (our president, MacKenzie). The girls had a lot of fun with the hunt and we were all rushing to be the first team to finish. Another activity that we did was a game of hungry hungry hippos. This game is played by one person holding a basket and laying on a rolling cart while another person pushes them around and they try to collect balloons in their basket. Then, the team with the most balloons collected wins! Everyone really enjoyed this game and several of us can’t wait until we get the chance to play it again.
While we did a lot of fun activities during the retreat, we also took the time to reflect on ourselves and the house as a whole. We all sat down and had a heartfelt talk where we tried to determine what makes a person courageous. We based our discussion on some historical figures of the past and the courageous things that they did to make the world what it is today. Then, we all set a goal for ourselves and the ways that we want to be courageous this semester. We wrote down our goals and put them on our “wall of courage”. Now people can look back on their goals throughout the semester and see how things are going. Overall, the Spring Retreat was a great time and it was a good opportunity for us to learn more about each other and to strengthen the bonds that we have.
The Lunar New Year Program by Joanne Gomendoza, Written by Alley Rowland and Madison Nobrega
Joanne first started her program with a presentation over the cultural significance of the Lunar New Year. Included in this short talk was the origin of the Lunar New Year, the story of the Zodiac animals, some traditions associated with the holiday (such as the reason she asked us to wear red, a traditional and lucky color), and personal stories of Joanne’s celebrations with her family. Attendees received a hands-on experience of the words, motions, and other traditions practiced by those who celebrate the Lunar New Year. Then, with the assistance of a handful of volunteers, Joanne prepared and served an authentic Lunar New Year’s meal for everyone in attendance. Joanne prepared traditional food, such as long noodle soup for long life, rice, and dumplings. She finished the presentation with a series of fun and interactive games, such as the hunt for hong bao – small red packets filled with money that she hid around the house, reminiscent of an easter egg hunt – and a game called Catch the Rat.
Everyone in attendance walked away with a new appreciation for a culture we had little experience with, and some practical knowledge on how to honor those celebrating the Lunar New Year in the future. I, for one, eagerly await the next Lunar New Year, so that I may continue to celebrate it in an authentic fashion. I also carry with me a new respect, not just for those cultures who celebrate the Lunar New Year, but all cultures different from my own. This sense of diversity and curiosity about the wider world can only benefit me and the other attendees of this program.
Nearly all of the house was present; it was a huge success. The participants were exposed to a culture that they had never experienced, and were able to ask questions about things they did not understand in an area free of judgement. The activities lead to a better understanding of a cultural minority and benefited both those inside and outside the said group. This event helped bridge the gap between different perspectives using delicious, authentic food, fun cultural games, and the practice of holiday traditions.
The decade started out for Smurthwaite with many fun and new experiences. We’ve got a wild amount of things packed into the rest of the semester. Looking forward to recruitment opportunities with shadow weekend coming up and more quality time when initiating the New Members soon.
With love,
Your Smurthwaite Sisters