On Friday, October 17th, students from several Ohio high schools participated in the second East Asia Day at Ohio State. This event was organized by the East Asian Studies Center and aimed to introduce what learning about East Asia is like at the university level. The event began with East-Asian themed games before the students were welcomed by Prof. Patricia Sieber, Chair of the Department of East Asian Languages and Literature, who gave students a sense of the close-knit world of East Asian Studies within a vast school such as Ohio State. EASC Assistant Director Chris White spoke on the dimensions of culture across East Asia, engaging students in a talk that compared Western vs East Asian thought processes. Professor Melissa Curley gave an entertaining lecture connecting elements of Japanese religion and culture to the engaging world of Pokémon. Last but not least, Dr. Ruth Lu spoke on the history behind tea culture in China, recounting her experience as an exchange student in High School and performing a traditional tea ceremony that provided tea for students to taste. Students ate lunch on campus and took a short tour, visiting sites such as Orton Hall and Thompson Library. East Asia Day provided insight for the students to experience a taste of what learning about East Asia at Ohio State is like, and thanks to their wonderful participation and engagement, it was a truly successful event.

Story by Ramya Govardhan