Lion Dance Brings in the New Year

Jady Ojiri ’21 is a dedicated advocate for her alma mater and a former member of the USF Development team. She actively participates in the Asia Pacific Alumni Association and plays a key role in leading the Hawai’i regional chapter.
 

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I remember putting together paper lion puppets with my kindergarten class and lining up along the schoolyard to watch the dancers ward away potential evil spirits and bad luck. At home, excited uncles and aunties always rushed in through the front door with warm hugs, red envelopes filled with money, and reminders to “be good and study hard.”

Today, my family continues to keep the traditions alive by cleaning their homes to welcome good luck for the new year and visiting their favorite dim sum restaurants. We have also adopted new traditions of their own, including early morning ventures to Chinatown to wait in line for a fresh batch of mooncakes.

My favorite part about Lunar New Year is the opportunity to reflect on the past year, acknowledge the moments I feel most grateful for, and look forward to all the wonderful possibilities in the year to come. It is a perfect day to slow down, embrace quality time with family, and simply enjoy.

With each new year, Lunar New Year traditions continue to grow and evolve, especially as I learn more ways to celebrate from my partner, family, and friends. For anyone who is looking to begin Lunar New Year traditions of their own, I recommend reaching out to others at work, school, or community groups like USF’s Asia Pacific Alumni Network (APAN). 

After moving back to Hawaii and graduating virtually, I was looking for ways of staying connected with USF and other alumni.

I have been involved with APAN since 2021, and I have loved meeting our members over the years, hearing their USF stories, and brainstorming for projects like our language learning series. I enrolled in the Tagalog class and got to share what I learned with my mom. I loved getting to share that experience with her and she said it was another one of her proud USF mom moments!

As a current member, I believe that joining APAN was one of my best decisions as an alumna thus far. I can’t wait to connect with other members on how they celebrate in the new year.  

There are many ways for USF grads to find community and connection. Explore USF’s diverse affinity groups.