By Shawn Hutchinson
When freshman Theodore Sandberg
came to Washington State University, he knew a few of the other students. He
did not know that there would be a student club that allowed him to find a
piece of home. At WSU’s Tabletop Gaming Association, that’s exactly what he
found.
“I usually stick with the same
group for Dungeons and Dragons,” said Sandberg. “It’s a colorful group of
people.”
With over 400 registered student
organizations at WSU, there is a variety of options for people looking for a
group of like-minded individuals to spend time with. Having a group of friends
centered on one interest can also help incoming students adjust to unfamiliar
surroundings.
“You get to know people,”
Sandberg said. “It does help with a social adjustment.”
There are also clubs centered on
more serious activities than gaming. With focuses on academic categories or
career development, there are plenty of clubs available for people looking to
become more familiar with a particular university department.
One club with an academic focus
is Math Club, one that senior Alden Bradford joined originally because of
friends. He stayed in the club to help connect with professors in one of his
two majors.
“I got to meet a lot of
instructors and grad students who have helped me out with classes and letters
of recommendation,” said Bradford.
Bradford, who served as Math Club
president for two years before he had to step down due to the club’s
constitution, has the perspective of being both a member and a leader.
“It’s a lot of work, but I think
it was also very rewarding,” said Bradford about his term as president.
Bradford said he enjoyed being able to take ideas for the club and enact them
to see if the other club members would enjoy them as well.
Another club with a focus toward professional
advancement is Sport Management Club, currently led by acting president Cody
Miller, a junior. Originally a business major, Miller changed his major to
sport management. He used the club as a way to catch up with his peers, many of
whom had already gotten to know the faculty around the sport management
program.
“I’ve definitely learned a lot
about organization and planning,” said Miller.
Miller said his club offers its
members an out-of-class experience that takes a look at how the real world of
sport management works, if only on a small scale.
“It’s like a stepping stone to
how you’d work in a team or organization environment,” said Miller.
With sport management having some
real-world applicability, there can also be real world problems, such as the
3-on-3 basketball event the club tried organizing this semester, but later had
to cancel due to a lack of sponsorship and participation. Miller said the
experience of failure would benefit the executives of the club in the long run,
as it provided them with an opportunity to examine what went wrong.
For other students, a serious
club based in academics is not the right fit. Some students prefer a club that
allows them to connect with people in a more social sense. These students want
an outlet to release their stress that builds up over the days and weeks. For
junior Jeremiah Mann, singing in the gospel group God’s Harmony does just that.
“I love the energy level, how
everyone seems to have a good time,” said Mann.
Mann said he grew up with music,
with his mother being a singer. He participated in church choirs throughout his
childhood.
“We all come from different
backgrounds, and it gives us a place to feel comfortable,” said Mann.
God’s Harmony also does community
events that are open to the public. Mann said being able to have a positive
impact on someone is a huge benefit of being in God’s Harmony.
“They might feel better walking
out than they did coming in,” said Mann.
The need to relax and let go of
stress also is a benefit for Floor Hockey Club member and graduate student
Thomas Bersano. He said having a sport-based club that is mildly competitive is
a big perk for him.
“I come to floor hockey to
relieve stress, so I don’t want to play a game that will get me all worked up,”
said Bersano.
While people come to Floor Hockey
Club for many reasons, Bersano said there’s one thing the players are all there
for.
“In the end, it’s still people
hanging out to play the game,” said Bersano.
This illustrates one defining
element found in almost every club: a sense of social togetherness. No matter
who’s in the club, there is a certain unity that is apparent in many of them.
That’s why Sandberg’s words about Tabletop Gaming Association tend to ring true
for other clubs as well.
“It’s a good pastime, if you’re
into stuff like that,” said Sandberg.
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