On Saturday, Sept. 6, the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) hosted its first meeting in the Union Building Ballroom. The event welcomed 65 attendees and included the distribution of around 35 cups of bubble tea and che vai khuc bach (white jelly sweet soup).
Che vai khuc bach is a popular Vietnamese dessert that pairs lychee with soft almond milk jelly in a light, sweet syrup. The jelly, known as khúc bạch, has a panna cotta-like texture and mild almond flavor. Served with lychee, crushed ice and toasted almonds, the dish offers a refreshing balance of fruity sweetness, creamy softness and nutty crunch, making it a summertime favorite across Vietnam.
“One thing I wanna say to all the freshmen is that try to get six hours of sleep at least.” Ashley Le ‘27 advises freshmen to get at least six hours of sleep per night, because “no amount of wealth can buy your health later on”.
The annual event achieved the main objective of welcoming, connecting and building a supportive Vietnamese community. On the other hand, Vice President Vivian Nguyen ‘27 highlights some future events, including Mid-Autumn Festival, Pho’stival, International Bazaar, etc, where upperclassmen and lowerclassmen can bond and do activities together. The upcoming event is a collaboration between a lot of Vietnamese Student Associations around the Midwest region, called UVSA Midwest. This will take place at An Lac Temple, Indianapolis, on Sept. 27.
Leila Ta ‘29 mentioned, “To be honest, I absolutely loved the desserts, but the best part must be the two games that we played –– Grab a Chair and Find an Item. They were so chaotic but so much fun!” Another freshman, Nam Dao ‘29, who won a round of Grab a Chair, shared, “The game was so much fun. My friends and I were a bit competitive during the final round. I genuinely felt connected to my Vietnamese friends.”
The food also received a lot of love from the students. Han Trinh ‘28 stated, “As an Event Coordinator, the cooking process was honestly exhausting and tiring. But the outcome was very desirable since everyone loved the atmosphere.”
The excitement did not stop there, however. VSA’s president, Vi Pham ‘27, remarked, “The atmosphere was incredibly lively, full of positive energy, and I felt truly happy and excited to share that moment with everyone. Since this is my first year serving as President, this has eased the anxiety in me.”
As the night drew to a close, each student in attendance expressed a shared feeling of joy, connection and cultural pride. Students shared that attending her fourth VSA opening event felt just as meaningful as the first. She hopes that the future of VSA would brighten up the experience of the freshmen.
