Choices, choices, choices

by Jillian Surla, editor-in-chief

FAIRHOPE, Ala.– Hobbies and interests can be hard to find, so when Club Day rolls around, students flock toward their special interests. This year, Club Day offered many different opportunities to find their niche, ranging from Dungeons & Dragons to Future Business Leaders of America.

“Joining and participating in clubs lets you interact with your school community and people you otherwise wouldn’t. Being in a club allows you to meet people with a shared interest and better yourself through the feedback of others,” said junior Paxton Comalander.

For FHS students full of creativity, Club Day gave them the option of joining clubs like drama, art and this year, even crochet. It also offered language clubs, like French and American Sign Language. For students with a special interest in intellect or giving back to the community, Club Day showcased Model UN or Interact Club.

“I feel like there was a very good range [of options], you had your usual science clubs, language clubs and then some newer clubs,” Comalander said.

One of the newer clubs this year is Crochet Club, with its ambitious goal of giving back to the community by making quilts for shelters and stuffed animals for children. The co-founders, Julia Richards and Meredith Bates, plan on starting off by teaching the fundamentals of crochet, then moving on to make amigurumi, which are little stuffed animals.

“I think it’s a good skill to have, just like a hobby. A harmless hobby that could be a good way to relax. I think it can also help our community because the bigger we get, the more we can reach out. Maybe in the future, we could do some more community outreach, like going to crochet at a retirement home and stuff like that,” Bates said.

In Drama Club, the members play fun games, do warm-ups–both physical and vocal–and audition for school shows. President of Drama Club Reuben Rockwell said being part of theatre can “ironically help students understand themselves a little bit more” when they put themselves into the shoes of the character they play.

“I’ve definitely found a home in the theatre department, and I’ve found a community with my friends there. I think it’s just a positive environment for everyone, and it’s very inclusive. Anyone could do it,” Rockwell said.

If a student would rather join a more thought-provoking and scholarly club, Model United Nations might be a good fit. Model UN meets weekly to prepare for a large county-wide conference where each student represents a country and discusses global issues.

“I think it’s good to join because it really increases global-mindedness among students,” said Model UN vice president Tucker Goodin, “You know, it’s pretty easy to get locked into narrow perspectives, and when you’re forced to think outside of your own perspective, it can really help open your eyes and see how the world works and how people interact with each other.”

Clubs are a natural way to get involved with a community and a way to find a new hobby or friend. That’s exactly what Club Day does: It gives students a way to find their people and their interests.