Kicking off the new semester, Quickie Break devoted one of its first sessions to the celebration of Lunar New Year.
Offering informative facts, food and fun, Quickie Break attracted approximately 250 students on Jan. 28 to the lower level of the Student Union (SU), creating an avenue for cultural diversity and awareness on campus.
“(Quickie Break) is a great program that promotes different cultural backgrounds in order to create diversity. It is very informative and fun,” said UTD graduate Jiang Wu.
The Lunar New Year Celebration also attracted many students with its red decorations, puzzle solving and traditional Chinese food.
“The games and food attracted me to Quickie Break. Since they were celebrating Chinese New Year, I wanted to attend,” said graduate computer science major Wei Hao.
International Student Services used Quickie Break to promote cultural awareness through the celebration of different cultural events.
“We have so many students from places that celebrate Lunar New Year. It is a well recognized holiday for many students here at UTD,” International Student Services Coordinator Josephine Khamisi said.
Although Quickie Break promotes diversity, its main goal is to provide students with an avenue for relaxation, quick information and fun.
“Quickie Break activities include a wide variety of subjects. Some are serious while others are fun. The goal for all the activities is to create an informative but non lecture-style environment,” said SU Director Phyllis Blanck.
According to the Quickie Break brochure available in the SU, all major departments on campus will sponsor at least one Quickie Break this semester. This month, the Women’s Center will show students the techniques for creating a scrapbook. Other Quickie Breaks include women’s self defense, Wellness Week and a Peer Advisor Pizzazz session.
Due to the student interest for each session, Quickie Break will continue next semester and has been considered a success by its creators.
“We are seeing a large number of students participating. However, our philosophy when rating the success of Quickie Break is that if one student visits, then (it) has done its job,” Blanck said.
Every Wednesday at noon, students are encouraged to visit the Quickie Break tables. By attending these sessions, students can give input on whether that Quickie Break was useful and also can suggest ideas for future sessions.
“Quickie Break is a great program. If it continues to be held in the lobby of the Student Union, I will definitely attend one again,” said sophomore business major Matthew Sublett.
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