Students learned how to make origami during this month’s Take Time Tuesday, a monthly event hosted by the Creighton Intercultural Center (CIC) to focus on different cultural events and education about various cultures. This one was put on in partnership with the Asian World Center.  

“They [Take Time Tuesday events] mostly focus on just different cultural events that might be going on throughout the year, or…ways that we can invite students in and just bring them more a sense of belonging, teach them something new, teach them about a culture [or] something they might not know about,” Briana Guevara, the CIC’s programming specialist, said. 

Mana Nakano, a Japan outreach initiative coordinator with the Asian World Center who has an office on Creighton University’s campus, joined the CIC on Tuesday to teach students about origami and help them make their own origami flowers.  

“My purpose is promoting Japanese culture, because I’m from Japan. … I think that for university students, they don’t have experience to touch another culture—a different culture,” Nakano said. “I think it’s very important to know about cultures outside the U.S.” 

During the event, students had the opportunity to learn new origami skills. Nakano showed them how to fold flower petals, which could be combined to form a flower. She also had printed instructions for students to follow along with. As they worked, Nakano assisted them in folding perfect petals for their flowers. 

Students in attendance, like College of Arts and Sciences senior Allison Benjamin, enjoyed the event and found the art of origami relaxing.  

Nakano also said she wanted to make sure students know that there is also a Japanese Culture Club on campus, which she works with. 

“I am kind of a moderator,” she said. “In the last year, the Japanese culture club was created. It used to be the Anime club, so they decided to…do anything related to Japan.” 

The club’s president, Caitlyn Hern, said they are working towards becoming the Anime and Japanese Culture Club.  

Past Take Time Tuesday events included an appearance from Cocoa the therapy dog, gingerbread house making to help students destress and “Ace Up Your Sleeve,” where someone from the Student Counseling Center came to talk about counseling techniques with the goal of spreading the word about mental health among minority students. 

Yesterday, the CIC hosted a special edition of the event, deeming it “Take Time Thursday.” It gave students the opportunity to talk with Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Vice President Sarah Walker, Ph.D., about recent government actions and what they mean for students.  

“I feel like [Take Time Tuesday is] just a great way [and] use of our time to bring activities like this and make students feel more welcome. … [It helps] make them feel more sense of belonging on campus,” Guevara said. “I can’t reiterate that enough. I feel like that’s the main purpose of it.”