Spotlight on the Arts: Cady Garey, Drama

Are you an incoming or prospective student with a passion for the visual and/or performing arts? Then this is the week for you! Every day we will be featuring a guest blogger, each with a unique story to share about the thriving artistic communities at UVA. Our first guest is Cady Garey, a professor in the UVA Department of Drama!

I imagine that being a UVA student with a passion for performance is like being a kid in a candy store: so many exciting, delicious options that it is torture trying to pick just one option.  From the moment you step on grounds, you can truly be as busy as you want to be. Most UVA Students end up piling their plates precariously high with creative work each semester—it is nearly impossible to pass up squeezing in just one more thing.

Professor Cady Garey's DRAM 1010 "How Theatre Works" class.

Where to start?  I would say the Department of Drama!  One of my greatest pleasures as a faculty member in the Department of Drama is having the opportunity to introduce new students to the opportunities in store for them. You do not have to be a major or a minor or a third or fourth year to take classes or audition for our productions.  Please check out the Department of Drama website or like our Facebook page for info and updates.  A large majority of UVA students have interests in many areas and chose to have a Major and a Minor or a Double Major or some other interesting combo.  This is very true for students involved in the Department of Drama.  Some want to just take classes in Acting, playwriting, Lighting/Scenic/Sound/Costume/Digital Design, directing, African American Theatre, Speaking in Public, Theatre History, etc.  Many want to take classes and be part of our productions, working onstage, backstage or in our shops.  Most end up doing everything and are in our building constantly. When you get a chance, come check out our building - we are in the heart of Arts Grounds. I may be biased, but I think that we have the best lobby to hang out in and study or meet friends or rehearse anywhere on grounds.  Are you a dancer?  We also have a Dance Minor!  Again, no requirements to learn and explore in classes or audition for our dance concert each semester.  

Costume design sketches for a production in the UVA Drama Department. Photo by Jack Looney.

Our Theatre spaces are amazing.  We have the Culbreth Theatre, a proscenium theatre that seats 500+ people—this is the space where you might see a big musical or one of our Dance Concerts.  It is what you imagine when you think THEATRE—an orchestra bit that drops down when needed, a computer controlled fly system and, well, it is huge.  The Caplin Theatre is a thrust theatre that seats 300+ audience members.  And finally, the Helms Theatre is a large Black Box space that is super flexible, seating up to 150 people. Both the Culbreth and Caplin can also screen films and are busy during the Virginia Film Festival—more about the VFF in a bit.  Beyond our actual performance spaces, there are classrooms, studios, and shops -where we construct everything for our shows.

One of many performances spaces in the Drama Building, the Ruth Caplin Theatre can seat upwards of 300 audience members.

Heritage Theatre Festival, a professional Theatre company, takes residence each summer in our building and theatre spaces.  UVA students are welcome to apply for jobs in all areas of this company and may also audition for productions.

Theatre transcends physical space; in this photo, Prof. Garey's students explore movement and other concepts in an outdoor setting.

Make sure to connect early with our student organization, Virginia Players.  You can find more about them here and definitely like them on Facebook. Virginia Players members produce their own work through their Lab Series, host a ‘Play in a Day’ 24-hour short play creation and production event and numerous workshops each semester.  There is a branch of Virginia Players that focused on Playwriting and one on Film—SO much student film going on at UVA!  Virginia Players is currently putting together a Theatre Fair for the first week of classes.  At this fair, you will get to hear about their work, meet some of the faculty members of the Department of Drama and hear from representatives from other student run theatre organizations on grounds.  Some of the many student lead theatre producing groups you might meet at the Theatre Fair : Spectrum, Paul Robeson Players, First Year Players, Shakespeare on the Lawn and others.  Improv and Sketch comedy?  Yep!  Check out The Whethermen and Hot Kids Comedy.  And a cappella and dance groups? SO many—I do not even know where to begin. The Virginia Players are a great place to start—contact them through their web page or Facebook or email me, Cady Garey, at cew9e@virginia.edu to get on their email list.  And keep an eye out for announcements about the Theatre Fair and make sure to attend.

A recent production of Mr. Burns, a Post Electric Play by Anne Washburn. Photo by Mike Bailey.

Did you know that UVA Students are able to get a FREE ticket to any and all performances on grounds through the  Arts Dollars program?  This includes Music Department events, Drama Department Productions and the Virginia Film Festival. You could likely find some sort of performance to attend almost every day.  Tickets and info can always be found at the UVA Arts Box Office.  Make sure to check out the UVA Arts website and sign up for their emails. Always so much going on.

A big welcome to you!  We are glad that you are joining us at UVA. Don’t wait to jump in and start working, playing, creating and finding people you click with.  There is no doubt that Fall 2020 will be different than most semesters. Get settled in, dive deep into your classes and keep your eyes and ears open—art will find a way and you can be a part of it! We are excited to have you, your energy and your ideas on grounds.

Blog by Cady Garey of the Department of Drama. Contact her at cew9e@virginia.edu with any questions or curiosities about the performing arts at the University of Virginia!

Volunteer Opportunities at UVA

Interested in learning about public service opportunities at UVA, but don't know where to start? Then this is the blog post for you! Read on to learn about some of the summer interns' favorite volunteer activities in the greater Charlottesville area.

Many UVA students enjoy giving back to the Charlottesville community through volunteer work with local organizations and service groups! Here are some of the opportunities that the student interns have taken part in over the past few years.

Abby 

Sometimes at UVa, you are given the opportunity to volunteer for a class! I took Teaching as a Profession in the Curry School and went into Charlottesville High School every week to tutor geometry students. It was a really cool way to get hands-on experience in the course while being able to volunteer. 

The Holiday Sharing program at Madison House.

Leah

When I arrived on grounds, I knew that I wanted to find a local church community. Charlottesville has hundreds of churches in the area, many of them with vibrant student fellowship and volunteer opportunities. Through Christ Episcopal Church, I was able to volunteer to usher for the Sunday service. This helped me get more involved in my church community, meeting other UVA students as well as adults in the Charlottesville community! In college, you’re constantly around 18 to 22 year olds, so it’s nice to expose yourself to another age group of people and help out while you’re at it.

You-Jin

Ever since first year, I have been so lucky to be part of Madison House’s CASH (Creating Assets, Savings & Hope) organization. It is known to be a very competitive volunteer organization to be admitted into, but once you get in, it is well worth your time. We provide free tax preparation services to low-income families and individuals in the Charlottesville community. It has been a wonderful opportunity for me to interact with various types of people and to feel truly connected with my community. Each volunteer gets tax law and tax preparation training so that volunteers are able to take an IRS-mandated certification exam and become IRS-certified as Volunteer Income Tax Assistants. This definitely has helped me feel comfortable in making my own tax filing as I will continue to have to do so for the rest of my life.

The Madison House building, a central hub for many volunteer programs.

Mia

My second year I was able to volunteer in the Cavs in the Classroom through Madison House. Cavs in the Classroom is a way for students to become more involved in the Charlottesville community by volunteering in local elementary schools. Every Monday I got to drive to Johnson Elementary School and sit in a first grade classroom for an hour and help little kids learn how to read. It was not only super fun to get to hangout with adorable 7 year olds but it was also a really great way to break out of the UVA bubble and expose myself to new things. The kids were such a joy, so curious, and loved to learn. Cavs in the Classroom was definitely a highlight of my week. To learn more about all the programs that Madison House offers, follow this link: https://www.madisonhouse.org/list-of-programs.

Kelley

I remember when I came on a tour of UVA, my tour guide mentioned that he volunteered with a Madison House program called Latinx and Migrant Aid (LAMA). I signed up for the program as soon as I got to Grounds, and have volunteered with them every semester since. I have had the opportunity to meet different students at their homes, in churches, and during the school day for tutoring. It’s been an incredible way to connect with members of the Charlottesville community— like others have mentioned, I’ve loved getting to escape the 18-22 year old bubble for a little while and hang out with some cool kids. Now, in my third year, I work as a Program Director, overseeing my own volunteers and site!

Pancakes for Parkinson's, an impactful service organization at UVA.

Ben

Another great opportunity to get involved with service while studying at UVA is Alternative Spring Break (ASB). In the fall, ASB partners with local Charlottesville organizations, such as the Rivanna Trail Foundation and The Haven, for a weekend of service. Students can sign up to volunteer with these groups over the 4-day fall break, which usually occurs in early October. I volunteered at a local build site for Habitat for Humanity my first year, as well as Bellair Farm, which is a local cooperative farm that focuses on community-supported agriculture. Participating in Alternative Fall Break was a great way to learn more about local volunteer opportunities in the Charlottesville community and escape the "UVA Bubble!" My second semester of first year, I volunteered on a spring break trip, which is the main focus of ASB. You can apply for a number of trips in one of three areas - environmental, human services, or housing. To see a full list of trips from past years, check out their website: https://www.altbreak.org/. I was lucky enough to go to Point Reyes, California, where we helped a team of park rangers make a beach hiking trail handicap accessible by building a drainage system in a flooded section of the path, in addition to clearing trees and fallen debris on other trails. This was a fantastic experience which taught me a lot about the National Park Service as well as the environment and climate change. We spent our free time hiking, cooking food over the campfire, and watching elephant seals, and I was able to fund much of my trip through the research grants and need-based scholarships offered by ASB! Overall, ASB was a wonderful opportunity to learn about outdoors-based service in our National Parks while also bonding with a group of 10-12 fellow students through the adventures of camping and flying across the country together! 

Working as a team to move a fallen tree on an ASB trip in Point Reyes National Seashore.

As you can hopefully tell after reading our stories, there are so many volunteer opportunities at UVA, ranging from artistic groups to Madison House programs. To see a full list of public service organizations at UVA, follow this link: https://atuva.student.virginia.edu/organizations and set the search category to “public service.” There’s bound to be a service opportunity that matches your interests! 

Hoos in Charge: A How-To Guide

Hoos in Charge

How to Start a CIO

by Belen Osman

I've told about a bunch of ways to get involved in the great student organizations we have here at the University but let's you get here and realize we don't already have a club or organization you're interested in joining- what do you do? Well fear not, we have a solution! UVa allows students to start their own CIOs, which are Contracted Independent Organizations. A CIO exists and operates independently of the University and manages its own affairs. So lets say you arrive at the University and realize we don't have an organization for Netflix lovers, you can start the Official Netflix CIO and enjoy binge watching with your fellow Netflix addicts. 

So how exactly do you start a CIO? The Office of the Dean of Students advises that you first note and consider the following things before creating a new CIO:

• Do other organizations currently exist that might address similar interests or a similar purpose which you hope to achieve with your new CIO?

• The organization’s main officer as well as at least 51% of the members of the CIO must be full-time, fee paying University students.

• Each CIO must maintain a constitution and save it on atUVa. A constitution template is provided in the registration if you do not have one prior to the submission process.  

Once you've done that, here are the very easy steps to start your new CIO:

• Visit atUVa to submit your organizations information

• The Vice-President of Organizations for Student Council and the Office of the Dean of Students will review your submission. *Club sports require a third review from the representative of Intramural-Recreational Sports.

• The Vice-President of Organizations for Student Council will meet with the organization to discuss the CIO.  After meeting with the organization, the VPO will present the organization to the Representative Body of Student Council for approval. * The time for this process can vary depending on meetings, constitutional corrections, use of the University’s name, and meeting with the VPO.

• Once a CIO has been approved, the President will be notified via atUVa messaging system.  CIOs will need to attend a Treasurer’s meeting and HOO’s In the Know? New CIO Workshop.  *Emails will be sent out to new CIOs about meeting times.

Then you're all set! For more information, visit the Student Activities Webpage! 

Hear Us Shout and Roar: UVA Intramural Sports

Hear Us Shout & Roar 

UVA Intramural Sports

by Wyatt Moorer

Intramurals are another great way to play sports while at UVA. Intramural leagues provide a casual, laid back setting to play sports with friends, dorm room hallmates, or even random acquaintances. There are intramurals in both the fall and spring. There are men's leagues, women's leagues, co-ed leagues, and leagues between different student organizations.
Most ever sport is offered ranging from flag football to basketball to ultimate frisbee to soccer. The intramural regular season typically is three games with elimination playoff games to follow. Intramurals are a popular option for students because they are not too much of a time commitment while still providing a great opportunity to get to play a sport you love or play a sport you have no experience in! 

For a more detailed list of all the intramural sports we have to offer, please feel free to look here

Hoos in Charge: Student Council

Hoos in Charge

Student Council

by Belen Osman

StudCo Organizational Diagram

In my last post, I told you a little about Class Council and how each Council works to increase unity and spirit within their respective Class, planning fun and useful class-wide activities/events. That might have piqued your interest, but what if you want to get involved on a much wider level? While each Class has its own individual Class Council, which solely caters to the needs of that Class, Student Council represents and caters to all students from all years and all colleges, including undergraduate and graduate students. 

Track Your Trash event

Student Council (StudCo) strives to “protect and improve the rights, opportunities, and quality of life of every student at the University of Virginia”. It’s comprised of several different boards, commissions and task forces that come together to create the best student experience for all those at the University through innovative projects, events and initiatives. StudCo does a variety of things; for example, it provides funding for CIOs, distributes scholarships to the student body, promotes student safety and wellness, represents student interests to members of local governments and creates initiatives to improve the diversity of the University.

Speak Up UVA day

The different components of StudCo each have their own purpose and agenda to improve the overall student experience, so that gives you the opportunity to join one that fits your personal interests/goals. For example, if you want to pursue a marketing career in the future, you can join the Marketing & Communications Committee and work to promote and market Student Council and Student Council events to the student body. If you’re interested in web design, you can join the Technology Committee and help UVa administration improve their websites to be easily accessible and more user-friendly. There’s a little something for everyone in Student Council and no matter what aspect you choose to get involved in, it’s a great feeling to know that your efforts will benefit the entire student

Hear Us Shout and Roar: UVA Club Sports

Hear Us Shout & Roar 

UVA Club Sports

by Wyatt Moorer

Besides varsity sports at UVA, another great way to maintain physical fitness through organized sports is Club Sports. Ranging from cross country to rugby to water polo, we have a wide array of Club Sports available for both guys and girls. Club Sports at UVA are extremely similar in terms of time commitment to sports in high school. They are a great way to continue a high school interest during your time at the university. 

One of my close high school friends, (rising second year Sarah Bowron), is on UVA's club tennis team. In describing her experience with Club Tennis, Sarah has often spoken about how much she has enjoyed playing a sport she is passionate about while at UVA. In that respect, Club Sports are a great way to get involved at a lesser time commitment than the varsity program. 

For a more detailed list of all the club sports we have to offer, please feel free to look here.

#WeAreAllUVa: Religious Affintiy Groups

#WeAreAllUVa

Religious Affinity Groups

by Hawa Ahmed

Here at UVa we pride ourselves in having a student group for every interest, hobby and affinity one could want! Religious affiliation is no different. There are over 40 active groups representing Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Baha’I Faith, as well as atheist and agnostic groups.

Christian Community

Charlottesville has several churches, many of which are within walking distance of grounds! The majority of Protestant denominations are represented- Episcopal, Baptist, etc. as well as Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Coptic and Church of God buildings. There are over 30 student-run Christian groups, ranging from worship, service, social and advising organizations.

Jewish Community

Most do not know that nearly 10% of UVa students identify as Jewish. Brody Jewish Center houses many resources for student groups, providing meals and chances to interact and volunteer with other students. During the Jewish holidays, both Jews and non-Jews are encouraged to come out to dinner services. In addition there is a Jewish fraternity known as Alpha Epsilon Pi or AEPi.

Muslim Community

The Muslim Student Association (MSA) is the primary social and religious outlet for Muslim student on grounds. They offer a great deal of programming as well as service opportunities to engage with the greater Charlottesville community. There is a mosque in the city that often times have services led by University students.

Other Religions

As previously mentioned, other religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Baha’i faith are represented amongst the student body. There is an emphasis on collaboration amongst the groups, such as an Inter-faith Dinner and Dialogue that occurs amongst the majority of religious affinity groups.

I would hate to burst your bubble, but...

It’s easy to get caught up in your own life at UVa. Between your classes, your activities, your friends, and potentially a job and/or significant other, things can get hectic. And I’ll be honest—I’ve gotten lost in the “I’m too busy” mindset and unfortunately, sometimes not explored all that UVa has to offer. But this weekend, the opportunity to escape my “bubble” presented itself and I jumped on it—and am so glad I did. To my surprise, not only did I have an unforgettable experience, but it also made me realize something about myself.

Here’s what happened: My good friend Katie from dorms (and ironically, from South Florida—who knew!) casually invited me to her UDC (University Dance Club) fall performance when we ran into each other the other day. She told me the details (she was just in the third dance of many, and I could leave after that) and said if I was free to stop by, she’d love for me to come.

I figured it would be fun to surprise Katie, as she wasn’t expecting me to actually come. I had fully intended just to stay for those three dances—after all, the reason I was going was to see Katie dance and it was Sunday aka “catch-up-on-all-of-your-work”-day—and work, as usual, was plentiful.

After arriving in Newcomb, I found a seat, but as soon as the first dance started—to my surprise—I immediately got up and went to stand up behind the seats—I wanted to get the best view possible! The energy in the room was incredible. I even got the chills. Katie wasn’t on stage yet, but I was already loving it. Needless to say, I was completely caught off guard by my reaction. When Katie came on, it was awesome to see her strut her stuff, just as I had expected. But what I didn’t see coming: I stayed for the entire show! My automatic reaction after the third dance ended was “Time to go crank out that problem set!” But I stopped myself.

This is part of why I’m here, too. Although it’s easy to forget, it’s important to not just participate in your involvements. From older students and graduates, I’ve been told numerous times that part of why college is so great is that you have the opportunity to grow and learn in your experiences, by going outside your comfort zone and seeing what’s out there. And as I was reminded this weekend, it’s amazing what happens when you’re spontaneous! Going to the UDC concert reminded me of how rewarding that can be and how great a place UVa is, as there is so much going on here to explore.

And then it dawned on me, as I scheduled for classes next semester. This applies to academics, too. I scheduled myself to take three math and two commerce classes? Probably a good idea to round out that schedule a bit—I did want somewhat of a liberal arts experience, after all! Art history? Another psych class? Only time will tell. But I do know that I want at least one out-of-my-element class each semester. My social psych and advanced econ class have both been extremely gratifying, and arguably up there with my favorites. Shocking, I know. (I smell a future post on this).

Catch ya later, readers!

Virginia Skydivers

Coming into UVA, one of the most exciting things was always the amount of clubs offered. I have always been a girl to enjoy a lot of extracurriculars and hence appreciate the selection here a lot. One of the clubs that I am most fond of is Virginia Skydivers.

The club's regular by-comers are all experienced divers, except for me, because I just joined. Although costly, skydiving is very well worth it. First tandem jumps cost $255, but with the UVA student discount it's $225. A tandem jump is a type of skydiving in which you are strapped onto an instructor and the parachute is attached to the instructor's harness. There's some training before you make this first jump, but most first-jumps are tandem jumps. This is the first baby step of skydiving! Once you dive more and eventually get licensed if you wish, prices for jumps significantly decrease. Usually at least one person in the club goes out every weekend. We have two regular locations, Orange, VA and West Point, VA. A lot of times, people can just come out and watch too. It's a really fun time to go out and just watch people sway down from the sky and witness it in person. It's a really different atmosphere out there.

In addition to just jumping, we also have a handful of fun events we attend! We do other things, such as base jumping, jumping from hot air balloons, wind tunnels, and recently the club attended the infamous skydivers' Halloween Boogie at West Point, VA. There was a casa, in which 30+ jumpers use a tailgate exit, magic carpet rides where divers just hold on tight to each other, hoop dives through hula hoops, raft dives, and etc, as seen in these pictures!

We meet every Thursday at the Backyard, which is off of Elliewood on the Corner, at 7PM. These meetings are always very relaxed and chill, talk about skydiving, fundraising ideas and other things. I make it out there by foot from Old Dorms, so I know you can make it too! Fundraising is a big priority right now, because we want to make skydiving more affordable for college students, but to do so we need help! Please try and come out sometime and we'll assure you have a blast!

And here is some really cool footage of CavMan diving into Scott Stadium when we played Eastern Michigan! I can't say that the club sponsored CavMan, but cool nonetheless.

Along the lines of something a superhero once said... flying is statistically still safer than driving! Check out our site http://www.student.virginia.edu/skydive/index.php!

V Magazine

Welcome future wahoos! I’m so happy you have stumbled upon our blog so that we can give you a glimpse of what life at The University is all about! I think my fellow bloggers will agree with me when I say UVA is a magical place. There’s something here for everyone, and it is impossible not to fall in love with Mr. Jefferson’s school. I know I have!

A quick introduction: my name is Ellen Haick, and I am a second-year completely undecided about my major (on most days I fluctuate between English, economics, and religious studies- today I am determined to do it all!). I am a Southern girl, born and bred, hailing from Jackson, Mississippi. Moving to Virginia was quite the transition, but has been an experience I wouldn’t trade for the world. There’s nothing like playing in your first real snow (see the picture of two Southern girls trying to master the art of snowball fights), attending your first field hockey game, or realizing that Nova is actually an area of Virginia, not another state that you somehow missed in your second grade geography class. UVA has become an essential part of who I am. Outside of classes, I am involved with Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), my sorority, volunteer tutoring through Madison House, and copy-editing for V Magazine. Charlottesville and UVA has so much to offer, I feel like I discover something new everyday!

One of the best organizations I have joined is the wonderful staff of V Magazine. V Mag is just one of UVA’s many awesome publications. We strive to bring fashion and culture to the university, covering everything from events on-grounds to little known attractions throughout Charlottesville. Check out these shots of last issue’s cover.

In my opinion, the coolest thing about the magazine is that, like most organizations on-grounds, it is entirely student run. Our staff, writers, photographers, and models, are all members of a very talented student body. Once a week, we all get together to touch base and make sure the publication runs on schedule, and to enjoy pizza and each other’s company and creativity. My job as copy editor allows me to interact with all the writers and be a part of marketing the magazine to the rest of the school. I love putting the finishing touches on great pieces and seeing all our hard work come together. I feel truly blessed to be a part of such a wonderful and creative organization.

Next time you are near grounds, look for our upcoming issue! Stay up to date with our newly launched Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/V-Magazine/132469706798597?ref=ts). V Magazine embodies a diverse and inspiring student body- a student body I hope you prospective students will one day join!

Hey Readers!

I hope everyone is having a great October and enjoying the fall season (only nine more days till Halloween!). Fall is my personal favorite: the colors, the weather, the fashion, the holidays. Honestly, it wasn’t until I came to UVa when I realized that. Pictures don't do this school justice.

On another note, I’m sure all you seniors out there must be stressing – college applications, essays, recommendations, and SATs on top of schoolwork and extracurriculars. Breathe, stretch, shake, and don’t forget to enjoy your last year!

I remember like it was yesterday when I clicked enter on the Common App - actually, no - scratch that, I’d rather not remember all of the long sleepless nights of editing my essays and trying to overcome “Senioritis”. But I’ll tell you one thing for sure – it’s all worth it in the end. Trust me.

Here I am now – a second-year student at the College of Arts and Sciences. I’m potentially double majoring in Biology and Art History (I know, two completely different things) and am considering medical school.

Blue-Orange man and Me at the first home football game (Totally new experience since my high school never had a football team!) We won. (P.S. Do you see the large expanse of orange behind us?.. That's just the tip of the iceberg.)

I’m originally from a city right across Manhattan, so if any out-of-staters have questions, shoot me an email! I live off campus and am involved with the UNICEF club here, volunteering at the hospital, researching at a Lab, and writing for the Cavalier Daily. I’m currently training to become an Honor Educator. As you can see, I love keeping myself busy and I assure you, you’ll find something you love, here at UVa, too. Second year is pretty challenging (thank you, Organic Chemistry) but it’s going.

There’s a lot I could write about in my first post – from why I chose to come to UVa to the place where students spend most of the time during exams, the libraries. However, I’ll talk a little about what has been keeping me busy. There is a tradition that is celebrated on the lawn every year – it is called “Trick or Treat on the Lawn” where children and parents from the local Charlottesville community come to … trick or treat. This year, UNICEF is hosting it’s annual Trick-or-Treat festival in the amphitheater at the same time right next to the Lawn, and we’ll be featuring a mix of recreational, competitions and performances by UVa student groups to raise funds for UNICEF's work for children around the world. As the Outreach Chair, I have been busy contacting different organizations around Grounds asking to participate (eg. acapella groups, service clubs, etc.) It’s going pretty well so far and I’m excited for how it turns out – a little more than a week left! Maybe, in my next post, I’ll be able to upload some pictures and videos of it to show you how it went!

Pie-eating contest at

UNICEF's T-O-T Festival last year

Until next time.

Surbs

P.S. Happy (early) Halloween!!

Write Club

The Student Activities Fair gathers about four hundred clubs into one spot on the Lawn for one purpose: to impress students and encourage interest in the club. Some of the biggest recruiting happens here, and it's not just for first years. I go every year, and it was there that I ran into an old friend and roommate of mine Jessica Hatch. Along with Anna Kovatcheva (another friend and suite mate who is not pictured), these two formed Write Club.

My favorite product of Write Club is that it fills a much needed niche. Fiction Writing classes at UVa are small and amazingly popular. Snagging a seat in one of those few classes can be tricky, but for this CIO, there isn't a minimum. Anyone with a desire to write is welcome, regardless of talent or experience in writing poetry, novels, or short stories. It's a setting that is informal enough to attract the shier writers but undoubtedly structured enough to be a positive experience for any level of writer.

In their own words:

What We Do: In the fall term, Write Club supports National Novel Writing Month participants through October Boot Camp - meaning that we spend the month of October working up to writing 2,000 words a day - and through a writing buddy system. Like having a gym buddy makes you exercise more often, having a writing buddy helps you get through NaNoWriMo more easily. In the spring term, we host a series of fiction writing workshops to provide an outlet for feedback on short stories, novel excerpts, and the occasional poem. We have also, at various times during the year, organized scavenger hunts, open mic nights, and charitable bake sales.

For those of you a few years off from applying to college, no worries, because an Exec Board has been established. It really is a great group of people running the show, and they do so many activities outside of just writing that Write Club ceases to be simply a writers club and instead turns so much more dynamic.

If any of you have any questions about Write Club, feel free to post them or email me, and I can forward you on to them.


Some other pictures from the Fair: