Ahh yes, February 14,Valentines Day. But it was also the same week as Ash Wednesday for Catholics, and Lunar New Years! So it was a pretty eventful day for me with a Valentine’s Day dinner at the Anteatery, Ash Wednesday mass on campus at the Crystal Cove auditorium, and VSA tet general meeting.
The first event was Valentine’s Day dinner at the Anteatery on Tuesday, February 13. Around week 2, Mesa court residents received an email about a special Valentines Day dinner and people could RSVP to go with a significant other or friend. It was semi formal attire with a full five course meal, all for free at the Anteatery. I was lucky enough to be one of the few who RSVPed early enough to get a spot with my friend. Personally, I love dressing up so my roommates helped me curl my hair, do my makeup, and pick out an outfit for the dinner. The food was surprisingly good and I was so impressed it came out of the Anteatery. There was a crab cake salad, mushroom tortellini, and so much more. United Voices, an acapella group on campus, to come perform for us! It was such a nice experience because it make Valentine’s Day a little less stressful and a lot more fun. I would definitely recommend this for incoming freshman! I’m so glad I got to experience this.
Ash Wednesday was the next day on February 14, and as a Catholic, I fasted and abstain from meat so I am so thankful the Valentine’s Day dinner was the night before. For those unfamiliar with Ash Wednesday, it marks the beginning of Lent, a season of fasting and prayer in preparation for Easter. There is a special mass where Catholics can receive ashes as a sign of repentance and an outward symbol of their faith. The University Catholic Community held mass on campus at Crystal Cove which was amazing and so so convenient. I was actually so excited because there were so many people there for a mass that isn’t even mandatory. It was so cool to see everyone gathered there for mass and be part of a huge community.
Lunar New Year was also that weekend so for VSA’s general meeting, staff members wore our traditional ao dais. As an intern, I wore my ao dai too to celebrate the new year by playing games with the members and get into the spirit. So those two days were pretty eventful for me. On Valentines Day, I passed out flowers to all my friends to brighten their days, had my traditional Vietnamese ao dai on, and had ashes on my forehead for quite an eventful day. There are so many events at UCI going on, so reach out and find one that speaks out to you!