Student Life: Virtual VS. In-Person Clubs

As North transitioned to online classes for this school year, so did many of our clubs. As expected, advisors and students had many varying opinions on how all of the adjustments were implemented. I spoke with two sophomores, Julia Joseph and Maggie Slany, as well as an English teacher, Mrs. Herbst, who advises both the Forensics/Debate Club and F. L.O.W. (Forwarding Lives of Women), to understand their points of view and insight about this change. 

Julia prefers online clubs over in-person clubs because “it’s easier to attend and you don’t have to worry about time or when you’re going to get home.” Julia also expressed that she feels more comfortable joining clubs over zoom, as it doesn’t feel quite as awkward as in-person clubs. Maggie mentioned that the convenience of an online club leaves her with the ability to get more work done. Mrs. Herbst, on the other hand, said that she misses the connection between club members, such as “throwing a bunch of snacks on the table,” “perching on our desks to brainstorm,” or “just listening to my club members talk about their day.” Ever since the switch to online clubs, both Mrs. Herbst and Julia stated that their attendance has been consistent with that of in-person. However, Maggie stated that club meetings often coincide with each other, forcing her to pick which ones she attends. On the bright side, Julia and Maggie said that the switch enabled them to join more clubs, feeling as though they are less of a hassle to attend. Without having to find a ride home and having travel time cut out altogether, it is easy to see how students and teachers alike have had more time to complete their day-to-day activities.

Although there are a great deal of benefits to hosting online clubs, Julia mentioned a problem with accessibility. While Mrs. Herbst said that her clubs have utilized Google Classroom and have posted codes on the North website, many other clubs have not done the same. Julia suggested that all advisors for clubs post their classroom codes on the Clarkstown North website so that students know how to access clubs. Maggie also suggested a master calendar be created and posted to resolve some of the overlaps in meetings. Until we see a master calendar of some sort, use this helpful link to find advisors for each club. Then, to join a club, simply send an email to the teacher asking if you can become a member!