Joining a club is one of the best ways to expand your social horizons at Brock University.
For many incoming Brock students, the prospect of making new friends may be daunting. It can be difficult to maintain a healthy social life while also regularly attending lectures, studying for midterms and completing all necessary weekly readings. Furthermore, many new students may find large first-year lecture halls to be unsuitable for socialization. This is where Brock’s multitude of clubs may offer a solution.
Brock University Students’ Union (BUSU) Clubs hosts over 100 student-run organizations. From program-related associations to clubs dedicated to learning languages, extending in-class learning or simply discussing shared interests, BUSU Clubs have something for everyone. Students are also encouraged to start a club that is catered to their own special interests.
Gabe Piessens is one of BUSU’s Clubs Coordinators for the 2023-2024 academic school year and he is a strong believer in the positive impacts of club participation. On top of his job as a Clubs Coordinator, Piessens is also one of the presidents of Brock’s Creative Writing Club, an association he started at the beginning of last school year.
“I wanted to join a community that had the same passions as I did,” said Piessens. But after a year at Brock, he had yet to find the space he was looking for.
“My original thought the year before I started the club was ‘man, wouldn’t it be fun to write with other people,’” said Piessens. According to Piessens, starting the club involved a lot of planning over the summer:
“The effort we put into making the club the best it can be makes a really fulfilling output. Seeing people enjoying the writing process, enjoying events and enjoying meetings is always awesome.”
As Clubs Coordinator, Piessens helps clubs with anything they need. This includes booking rooms, planning events or just getting started.
“I’m looking forward to getting to know all of the club leaders and helping them out with anything they need,” said Piessens.
Whether you are looking to start a club or simply figure out which pre-existing one suits you best, the BUSU Clubs website is your best friend.
“I’ve found [that running the club has] helped me gain leadership skills as well as honed my creativity. I’ve also made many friends through being in [this] club,” said Piessens.
While the first semester of university can be scary for every incoming Badger, hard things are made easier when shared with company. Brock’s Clubs Week is the perfect place to meet new people and begins Monday, Oct. 2nd.
More information about Clubs Week can be found on the BUSU website.