Asian Students Gather at Boba Bash

Students congregate around each of the seventeen tables arranged in Grainger as student leaders welcomed them to Exeter’s Asian community for the annual mixer. The event, called “Boba Bash” this year, featured a selfie contest, a Kahoot game and, naturally, different types of Boba.

The mixer was organized by the Asian Advisory Board (AAB) to acclimate new students to Exeter by introducing them to their peers and to Exeter’s cultural clubs, according to upper and AAB member Yunseo Choi.

Boba Bash was also organized by Asian Advisory Board AAB in conjunction English Instructor and Asian Student Program Coordinator, Wei-Ling Woo as an Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) event. Mixers help “send out a loud signal that our office is here to support folks,” Dean of Multicultural Affairs Sami Atif said.Other communities, like Black and Latinx and LGBT+, have mixers as well. “Each differs in style and structure with varying student input,” Atif said.

English Instructor and Asian Student Program Coordinator Wei-Ling Woo hopes that the event helps each new student adjust to Exeter life. “I think if every student met a new person or made a new friend, that would be a success,” she said. “And also I hope they learned about resources on campus that they can use throughout their four years at Exeter.”

While the idea remains the same from year to year, the events at the mixer change. Past events included a movie night and an ice cream social, senior and AAB member Mia Kuromaru said. “My first year, I felt that it wasn’t as engaging so I applied for AAB that spring and worked to find a more dynamic student social,” Kuromaru said. “This year, we finally got to an educational aspect through the Kahoot game.”

Many aspects of the event were organized to ensure students made valuable connections with other members of the Asian community, Choi mentioned. “Student leaders at every table to help students feel comfortable, and students could sit any place they wanted,” she said.

Additionally, Kuromaru mentioned, AAB ensured that Asian faculty also attended to ensure that students can find resources. “It’s important that students know they aren’t alone on this campus,” she said.

Students, new and returning, enjoyed Boba Bash, according to prep Cindy Su. “I was happy to get a second look at some of the clubs I had already signed up for at club night,” Su said.

For club heads, like senior and Chinese Student Organization (CSO) co-head Justin Li, the event was a great opportunity to gain new members. “There was a chance to introduce CSO, which was really important,” Li said. “It’s really great to be able to meet new kids and recruit them to the club.”

After the Bash, Su feels like she is more familiar with others on campus. “I say ‘hi’ to students I met at Boba Bash on campus,” she said. “I think there was definitely a sense of community at the event which is really comforting.”

“For Asian students, assimilating into a predominantly white culture can be a challenging process—one that most POC, especially those of international backgrounds, experience,” Li said. “It is an important opportunity to see the Asian leaders in the school and make new friends. I think that having this time to meet other people that have similar heritages can make someone feel like they belong at Exeter. ”