The Tokyo Tech International Student Association (TISA) hosted the 2022 TISA Welcome Party on Ookayama Campus on June 1. The event was organized in collaboration with two other student groups — the Student Association for Global Exchange (SAGE) and language exchange promotion group ACTION — and was supported by the Tokyo Tech Alumni Association and the Student Support Division.
This was the first welcome party for international students in two years due to the various obstacles caused by COVID-19. Prior to the pandemic, the Institute had hosted a party for international students each semester to welcome newcomers and help them adjust into the Tokyo Tech community. Despite the break and the remaining safety restrictions, this year's gathering was once again a success. Over 100 new students, current students, staff, alumni, and friends attended.
Excited 2022 TISA Welcome Party participants
Laid-back games to break the ice
The participants spent the evening informally chatting, enjoying snacks and drinks together, and playing a number of interactive games to get acquainted. Game winners received various prizes including Tokyo Tech thermal bottles, USB memory sticks, computer mice, drinks, and snacks. The party even included a dance session that involved most of the participants.
Let the games begin!
Game winners with prizes
Dance session
To the delight of many new students, Tokyo Tech President Kazuya Masu and Tokyo Tech Alumni Association President Kiyoto Ido also dropped by to offer their warm words of welcome.
Greeting from Tokyo Tech President Masu (left), warm words from alumni association President Ido
Comments from participants
- It was fun, thank you for organizing!
- Great job! This was my first time seeing President Masu in person.
- It was interesting to experience a very different Tokyo Tech atmosphere.
- Sincerely, thank you to the event hosts, participants, and volunteers! It was the most wonderful party I have had since the start of COVID-19. Nice events such interesting dancing, presents, too many good friends! I really hope more people will come to join TISA events and get to know each other during their research period at Tokyo Tech. I am already looking forward to another fascinating event in the future! Let's hang out together!
- I was a little uncomfortable at first with other international students whom I had never met before, but we naturally became friends while playing various games prepared by TISA. I also enjoyed talking with other TISA friends, and I hope to participate in future events.
- I attended this reception party because I wanted to get involved with international students. I also felt that I could expand my human network by talking to other people outside my group. At the party, we were divided into several groups, where we had conversations and played mini-games to deepen our interactions. Everyone was easy to talk to and friendly. Even though my English was not good enough, I enjoyed the conversations very much. I will continue to take advantage of opportunities like this in the future.
Comments from TISA Welcome Party chief executives
- Jiatong Yu
1st-year master's student, Chemical Science and Engineering
- Jiayi Yu
1st-year master's student, Chemical Science and Engineering
This was TISA's first in-person event in two years. It was not easy to hold such an event during the pandemic. We are glad that the participants seemed to have enjoyed it, and hope that they can make new friends and use the opportunity of this welcome party for their future networking. TISA received generous support from the Tokyo Tech Alumni Association and the Student Support Division. We would also like to thank all the TISA members and friends who volunteered their time to help out. We will do our best to make it a better event that more people can enjoy next time. As for our academic studies, both of us are studying mainly polymer science. We aim to create high-functional and high-performance polymer materials.
Group photo of TISA 2022 Welcome Party
TISA welcomes all students at Tokyo Tech to join their activities, and aims to connect and support international students during their university life. The association continues with its efforts to enhance the multicultural experience at Tokyo Tech.
