DeKALB – The Asian American Resource Center along with Counseling and Consultation Services held a Solar New Year event Thursday for students to paint and reflect.

Students were invited to paint with watercolors and come up with achievements from the past solar year from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Asian American Resource Center. 

Students were given a set of paints, paintbrushes, four gold star stickers and a piece of paper to make their art.

“I was going off the inspiration from the sky, but I also went for a rainbow piece,” said Xander Guy, a sophomore industrial management and technology major.

The four stars were placed in the shape of Aries, and students were encouraged to paint around them. Once their painting dried, they could take the star stickers off.

Solar New Year, celebrated April 13 to 15, celebrates the sun entering the Aries constellation. 

Sam Lee, a senior psychology major, said South and Southeast Asian cultures traditionally celebrate the Solar New Year.

“They (South and Southeast Asian cultures) usually have water-based festivals, but obviously today, we couldn’t really do a water-based festival, so we did water painting around the Aries constellation,” Lee said.

There was lo-fi music playing in the background while students painted and talked.

“You can paint whatever you like and on the back you write about the things you are proud of,” Lee said.

There were coupons available for the Spring into Wellness Week specialty entree at the Huskie Den and Starbucks drink for all attendees.

“I wrote about my good health, the connections I had with family and friends, my education and the relationship I have with my girlfriend,” Guy said. 

Students laughed and talked among each other after finishing their paintings and even stayed past 4 p.m. 

“I painted with all of the colors from the palette and didn’t think too much of it,” said Garrett Goddard, a junior psychology major.