At Palousafest, University of Idaho clubs and organizations line the Theophilus Tower Lawn and 6th Street every year. Well, almost every year.
Last year saw the return of the welcome event with a large turnout and relaxed COVID-19 restrictions. While the event was back, clubs and organizations had just begun to recover from the pandemic this past year.
Now, things are getting back to our new usual. Pandemic restrictions have come to an end for most and the 2022-2023 school year holds more promises. Events are no longer limited by low capacity and students will be able to mingle more casually in residence halls and class.
With this, clubs are finally back in full force.
Past pandemic coverage at The Argonaut has featured clubs and organizations struggling with recruitment, such as the UI men’s lacrosse team. A handful of clubs were killed off due to the pandemic.
At the same time, there are groups that are back, stronger than ever before. The past semester, the introduction of the Black Cultural Center has provided better support for Black students and a partnership with the Black Student Union. As Black students made up only 1% of the campus population in UI’s Fall 2020 census, such a support system is invaluable to the minority group.
Club sports like UI’s logger sports and the water polo team have seen the return of competitions after two long years.
As my last year at the University of Idaho comes to a start, I’ve taken some time to reflect on how I got here and what the past two years have held for all student organizations.
I joined our student publication right out of the gate, brand new to campus life. It was one of a few organizations I dipped my toes into at the time.
Eventually, I dropped some other activities, and when the pandemic hit, I no longer had the opportunity to explore all that UI’s pre-COVID-19 campus had to offer. Still, The Argonaut stuck.
After a hectic freshman year, I withstood two years of Zoom classes sitting in my dorm. Especially in the 2020-2021 semester, I would hop into Zoom while still in bed, angling my camera to hide the mess that became my room. Once classes were done, despite living on campus, there wasn’t much else to do. As bleak of a picture as it was, I think a lot of students could relate.
The one thing that kept me going was The Argonaut. While I couldn’t go work in the Student Media office or conduct interviews in-person, writing for the publication kept me productive through fulfilling work. Three years later, I am now coming in as the editor-in-chief, continuing the work I love.
Joining a variety of organizations and clubs on campus is how I ended up here. Had I not, when COVID-19 hit at the end of my freshman year, I would have been left with no extracurriculars at all.
Working with student organizations on campus provides the opportunity to befriend and bond with people of similar interests, an opportunity that simply isn’t as accessible on the high school level.
For incoming freshmen, I say — join campus organizations that pique your interest. Even if they all don’t work out, maybe one of them will.
College is the perfect place to explore your interests without added pressure, and our university offers a wide variety of clubs.
While entering college may broaden your horizons compared to whatever small town you’re from, it can be easy to stay secluded in your own bubble of friends and ideas.
Instead, challenge yourself. You can only grow from it.
Haadiya Tariq can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @haadiyatariq