Clubs Migrate Online, Proceeding Through Pandemic

The+first+slide+for+the+presentation+for+Club+Day%2C+Sep.30+where+they+informed+students+on+clubs+such+as+Black+Student+Union+%28on+the+right%29+and+Key+Club+%28on+the+left%29.

Edited by Galilea Velasco

The first slide for the presentation for Club Day, Sep.30 where they informed students on clubs such as Black Student Union (on the right) and Key Club (on the left).

ASB hosted Club Day virtually Wednesday Sept. 30 where students began registering for clubs to stay involved with other students who share common interests in an effort to keep the club life at Buena alive. While many thought clubs were “out of the picture”, staff and students are working ardently to make it possible.

Junior Vanessa Silva, the head of this year’s ASB club committee, with the help of senior Russell Delgado, junior Ninel Cisneros, and junior Sahian Guillen-Arteaga the committee did lots of ground work to create resources to make the event possible,”[coordinating] has taken us almost a whole month when it would usually take us two weeks” Silva said.

The club committee created a Google Form that students used to register for clubs they were interested in. The google form, once filled out, will be sent by ASB advisor Cody Foster to the club advisers. The club advisers will then have the ability to send them more specific information to the participants via email. 

 Even though there will be changes made to the activities clubs can do, there can still be the same amount of clubs, Foster pointed out. As of today, 13 clubs will be meeting virtually. Students who were not able to attend but are still curious can find more information on what clubs are meeting virtually on this Google Slide.

Clubs provide a safe place for students to socialize and to make a difference in whatever they are interested in’

— Cody Foster

However, there are pros as well to meeting virtually. One pro is the flexibility this year’s clubs will give students. Thanks to careful consideration from faculty, clubs will have staggered meeting times. “if you can’t show up on one day you can show up on another day,” Silva said. With the information provided, students can check if their schedules correlate with the club meeting times. 

Faculty and students have worked strenuously to get clubs functioning because they want to show that “Buena has something more to offer other than online classes”. As described by Foster it is the “mixing pot of students”. 

“[Clubs] bring a different group of students together” meanwhile it “pushes them out of their comfort zones” to then “participate in activities” Silva said. With an optimistic mindset Silva thinks “since you don’t have to turn on your cameras, students feel more comfortable speaking so we will have more people this year that won’t feel shy to sign up for clubs they are really interested in”. 

Clubs provide a “safe place for students to socialize and to make a difference in whatever they are interested in,” Foster said. “It can give students a sense of comfort to know that there are others similar to them that like the things that they like” Silva said. It is up to students to take advantage of the clubs offered.