By Alondra Villanueva ‘28
Holidays happen once a year, but with a little bit of luck, and some deep exploration, we may get to celebrate them twice a year. December 31st is a date that sticks out for a lot of people. They unite with family and friends, eat grapes at midnight, sit under the table, or even run around the block with a suitcase. All these different traditions are meant to bring good memories, love, travel, and overall luck in the new year. We wake up January 1st with intentions set and hopeful outlook for the new year.
What we sometimes fail to realize is that not everyone’s experience on that day is the same. Many of us forget about Chinese New Year, that there is a large group of people around us that are waiting to practice their traditions, be surrounded by their loved ones, and set their intentions of good fortune. On February 16th I was privileged enough to be part of an authentic Chinese New Year Celebration that taught me just that.
As I walked into my Intercultural Communications class, Dr. Hu was playing a live stream of Chinese programming. It blurred into the background noise as I settled into my desk, but it came to the forefront when she said this was a Chinese New Year live stream. People all across China were watching the exact same broadcast, just three minutes away from counting down to the New Year.
Soon, Dr. Hu and the rest of us found ourselves welcoming in the Year of the Horse. At that moment, I realized that Dr. Hu—and many Chinese people around the world—were feeling the same anticipation and excitement I had felt a few short weeks ago.
After the countdown, Dr. Hu explained how special it was to ring in the New Year with us. She shared that she had been away from her family for this holiday for decades, so it meant a lot to be surrounded by smiling faces as the clock struck midnight. By pure coincidence, our Intercultural Communication class happened to meet at the exact moment the Year of the Horse began.
The smiles, good times, and cultural sharing did not stop there. Dr. Hu informed us that she had some special guests joining today’s session. Moments later, we were on a Zoom call with her parents in China, who had just finished ringing in the New Year. The call started with her dad offering us so many warm wishes for the year ahead. Then, her mother shared all the preparations that had gone into the special day: the food they had cooked, the calligraphy they had created, and how they, too, had watched the very same broadcast we just did. It truly warmed my heart not only to witness so much joy within the Hu family on this holiday, but also to be a part of it.
In 2026, I can say that I have had the privilege of ringing in the New Year twice. Even though I was not surrounded by my own family the second time around, I still felt the genuine warmth of family and good company. Digging a little deeper, hearing other people’s stories, and embracing a culture other than my own allowed me to have this deeply heartwarming experience. Monday, February 16th, was not just another day in COM 385—it was a true immersion and exchange of cultures, one that I’ll hold near and dear to my heart forever.