Peculiarities among activities

Getting involved has never been easier here at Hope College. The amount of organizations and clubs at every student’s disposal are numerous—all you need to do is show up. Some of these organizations have been around for years and others are just getting started by students who saw an interest gap that needed to be filled. Here are just a few of Hope’s student organizations, what they do, and how to get involved:

Swing Club: If you love dancing with your friends, want to learn a new skill and get in a bit of a workout, you should try out Hope’s Swing Club! They host dance sessions twice a month in various spots around campus. Having no experience in swing dancing is not a problem at all; the organization offers free lessons with each session. To find out the time of the next swing club session, email swingclub@hope.edu.

Opus: Hope’s campus is full of creative and skilled writers and artists, and Opus provides a platform for these talented people to share their work. Once each semester, this organization publishes a student-made literary and arts magazine full of poems, prose and artwork created by students. They also have meetings throughout the year where attendees can share and discuss their work, as well as events and movie nights that aim to inspire writers and provide a space for this creative community to come together. Julia Kirby is in her fourth year as Co-Editor of Opus. Kirby shares that “As an organization, we strive to create a space on campus for students to gather, collaborate, and grow as artists. Everyone is welcome to submit to Opus and to attend meetings and other events!” Students looking to share their work or just get involved can contact the club at opus@hope.edu.

Sailing Club: Anyone looking to take advantage of an opportunity to try something new should join Hope’s sailing club. This organization takes members with any level of experience—even people who have never before stepped foot on a boat. During the fall or spring season, the team has practice about three times a week. These meetings are laid back, and members can simply attend whenever they are available. Through the fall, the team competes against other colleges in races called “regattas.” Member Grace Goszkowicz (‘22) came in to Hope’s sailing club with no racing experience but has learned so much about the process after just one season. “It was a great learning experience,” she said. “[The team] is a really cool friend group we get to have. We all learn and get better together. It’s really cool to watch people learn to be in charge of a boat and learn how to get comfortable and confident with it.” To get involved, simply email sailing@hope.edu.

These are just a few samples of what Hope student organizations have to offer. Stay tuned for next week’s edition to learn about new clubs on campus. Head to hope.edu/student-life and look into the full student organization directory for more opportunities. Do you have an idea for a club that isn’t already offered? Just email studentlife@hope.edu with your idea, and they can help you make it happen!