Andrew Mun-Shimoda

Late on Thursday nights, when the majority of the school is already gone, room 241 is still sending noise down the English hallway. That’s because it’s the home of the Strategic Games club, or, as the club members refer to it as, Board Games club. In the past year, they’ve gained a large number of new members, prompting the club heads to bring out new and exciting games for the club to play. The atmosphere is nothing less than electric, and the tension between friends over a game of Risk is indescribable. Arguments about rules, the re-rolling of dice, and the shuffling of cards are commonalities at this club; too many, this might seem off-putting, even aggravating. But to the members of Strategic Games Club, it’s what separates their club from all the others.

That level of spirit can be seen throughout all the clubs here at UCC. Whether it be Strategic Games, Table Tennis, or any of the other 80+ clubs, being a part of a club is really being part of a small community within the school. Clubs are truly a group of guys who share the same passions gathering together, sharing their ideas, and talking about what they are interested in.

An example of this passion is the Classics Club, which meets Wednesdays at lunch in the Latin room (336). Run by Sean Manucha, the Classics club currently consists mostly of culture-loving Latin students. However, the club meetings are anything but an extended Latin class. During club meetings, they go over ancient Roman history, talk about what life would’ve been like in ancient Rome, and have presentations about interesting aspects of Rome’s history. From just one meeting, it’s clear that every single member loves being there, myself included. If you have any interest at all in Ancient Rome, I would encourage you to check it out. The club isn’t limited only to Latin students.

Another club fuelled by passion is TBAW. The Blue and White, or as we call it “TBAW”, is UCC’s very own student blog. We even have a fancy website! I’m not trying to make this a marketing push, but if you enjoy writing, come on out to a meeting. We meet Fridays at lunch in room 213, and it’s always super chill.

Whether you do or do not join a new club this term is up to you. That being said, I would push you to try something new. Maybe go out to a Classics club meeting. Try writing something for TBAW. Go relax and play board games at Strategic Games club. If you don’t like it, just leave. These aren’t varsity teams; they’re clubs, and for the most part, they’re meant to break up the continuous workload we get here at UCC. So, tomorrow, during the clubs fair, go check out the first club that catches your eye. You never know, you might end up loving it.