Social distancing does not mean social isolation
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect online classes, many clubs and associations at UFV are operating remotely for the fall semester.
The Cascade reached out to several clubs and associations (C&As) to learn more about what they’re doing for their members during the pandemic. Below are just some of the ways UFV’s C&As are adapting to remote operations. However, this is not an exhaustive list of the clubs and associations at UFV. Students can visit the My Campus Life website for a more complete list of active clubs and a schedule of events — the events page is always being updated.
The Physics Students Association (PSA) is hosting online events over the semester, from academic guest lectures to game nights. On Oct. 8 via Zoom, guest lecturer Etienne Dreyer will be speaking on particle physics in a talk called “Quarks, Leptons, and the Z in Between.”
According to PSA president Annabelle Czihaly, one obstacle the association had to overcome was an issue of privacy — hosting events without the risk of strangers joining online. Their solution was to create events through My Campus Life, allowing them to securely email Zoom invitations directly to students and faculty who have RSVP’d.
To stay informed about upcoming events, Czihaly said students can find UFV PSA on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and their website. The association also has a Discord server for students of various physics classes.
The Mental Health Awareness Club (MHAC) is also hosting virtual events and meetings. They recently held a Netflix movie night and are finalizing more events for the future.
“Our events are usually a fun way for students to relax and get some resources on mental health,” said Ravneet Dhaliwal, MHAC president, in an email. “We also like to create conversations and try to educate students, which leads to ending the stigma around mental health.” Online events, Dhaliwal admitted, can be challenging, but she said this hasn’t stopped their efforts.
MHAC’s next bi-weekly meeting is on Oct. 8 via Zoom, which will include a mental health check-in and a game of Kahoot. They can be found on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
The Student Leisure Outdoor and Wilderness Club (SLOW) is a student group that organizes outdoor, recreational activities like hiking and yoga. They say they have found the transition difficult, given the nature of the activities they typically offer.
“I am hoping to plan some activities that are socially distant in the future,” SLOW president Heather Kelly said in an email, “but it is a big obstacle to overcome, as SLOW would normally allow members to carpool in order for those who could not drive to get to events.” Kelly said future events will be posted on My Campus Life and on the SLOW Facebook page.
CreWri UFV, a creative writing club for all students, continues to host meetings despite the pandemic. They have already hosted a fall kickoff trivia night and a Writer’s Circle for students to share their work and receive feedback. They plan on hosting several more Writer’s Circles and another social event during the fall semester.
According to CreWri president Alyssa Guse, CreWri has faced challenges in finding the best online platform to use and how to invite students to their events. They have settled on Zoom for their meetings, with My Campus Life to include their event information. CreWri can be found on Facebook and Instagram, and interested students can also reach out to crewriufv@gmail.com.
The Pen and Paper Tabletop Club (PPT) has several online events lined up for the fall. According to president Alec Zinman, PPT is a student club dedicated to role-playing games and board games. This fall, they have had to transition to online platforms.
“Luckily there is a wide array of platforms available for playing tabletop games online,” Zinman said in an email. “There is what is known as virtual tabletops, which let you create and run your own role-playing game campaigns entirely online.”
PPT recently hosted an “Intro to Dungeons and Dragons” event to learn how to play D&D and meet the executive team. On Oct. 14, they are hosting a BlueJeans event to play the video game Among Us, as well as hosting a new D&D campaign starting Oct. 27.
“The switch to online has forced us to think outside the box,” Zinman said, “but that has allowed us to reach out to more people who may have otherwise been unable to attend events at the Abbotsford campus… It is inspiring to see our members interacting with one another, even when we can’t meet in person.”
PPT can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and on their Discord server. Students can also reach out to them at UFVPPT@gmail.com.
The Philosophy Association of UFV (PHILUFV) is hosting various BlueJeans events for all UFV students and faculty who are interested in philosophy. According to their My Campus Life page, they have a Nietzsche Reading Group every Thursday at 7 p.m. to read through Nietzche’s The Gay Science. They will also be hosting a virtual Literature Round Table to explore various philosophy writers on Oct. 11.
Students wishing to learn more can contact PHILUFV on Facebook or Instagram, or email them at philufv@gmail.com.
UFV Campus. Abbotsford.
Danaye studies English and procrastination at UFV and is very passionate about the Oxford comma. She spends her days walking to campus from the free parking zones, writing novels she'll never finish, and pretending to know how to pronounce abominable. Once she graduates, she plans to adopt a cat.
