The COVID-19 pandemic has not stopped the apparition of new clubs at UBC Okanagan. In fact, in the case of The Grow n Glow Club, the pandemic inspired its formation. At a time where self-care and meditation are more vital than ever, The Grow n Glow Club has formed to help students set time aside for themselves in the school’s chaotic online environment. The Phoenix wanted to know more about The Grow n Glow Club and what they have to offer to students, and they kindly accepted to tell us more about their club in a virtual interview.
Opinions Editor: Tell us about your club! What is your mission statement?
The Grow n Glow club encourages students to take a break from their busy schedules and indulge in self-care activities. We provide group journaling sessions, Kahoot game nights, art activities, group meditation, and workouts that include dance and high-intensity interval training. We truly believe that self-care helps you to grow and glow!
OE: How did this club form? What inspired its creation?
The ongoing pandemic has truly made it difficult to step away from the online work environment. When you need to choose between a pile of assignments or a well-deserved break, the latter is often under-valued. Due to this, we were inspired to form an association that allows students to schedule meaningful self-care time without the guilt of taking a break from coursework.
OE: What is it like being a new club during the pandemic? How can students participate in the club online?
Being a new club during the pandemic has been an interesting experience. We have implemented the use of multiple online platforms to create self-care events that can accommodate all students in an online environment. Students can stay up to date with our club via our Instagram @ubco.ggc and we host our self-care events on discord and zoom. Students can sign up for our events through a google form linked in our Instagram bio! Once students are signed up, we send an email with a link to our discord page and keep them up to date with our ongoing events. We have now created a very tight-knit discord community with over 60 students. It can be a little intimidating connecting online, but we warmly welcome everyone.
OE: What are your goals for the club in the future, especially if school re-opens in September?
Our club was initially formed to serve students through an online environment, but we would be very excited to transition to in-person events. We hope to add additional self-care events in the future, and we believe that students will see the club as an opportunity to practice mindfulness and meet new friends from different faculties. We will be hosting a blend of online and in-person events to encourage all students to step outside of their comfort zone and become involved in our club community. It can be difficult for students to make new friends in a new campus or city, so we hope that the UBCO Grow n Glow club can be the path to your new friendships.
What would you like UBCO students to know about your club?
We want UBCO students to know that they are important and deserve to devote time to themselves. We are always trying to introduce initiatives that can provide a judgment-free space where students can practice inner well-being and can have a sense of belonging. Sometimes, it's difficult to imagine the true benefits of an activity until you have experienced it, so we definitely wish that every student experiences our events at least once. These self-care activities and the insight gained from them may potentially be by your side for life! We want you to put yourself first. Give us a shot!
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