Information regarding The Student Roundtable on the college’s television in Centre Core on Jan. 21, 2021.
Students feeling disconnected from each other and the college community, because they can’t be together in the same place because of COVID-19 restrictions, now have a place they can go every week.
Every Wednesday of this semester, the Lethbridge College Students’ Association, along with Wellness Services, will be hosting an event called The Student Roundtable. It’s a chance for students to connect with each other, play games and have a chance to win a gift card.
According to Tanner Marcer, events and communications coordinator of the LCSA, the roundtable was created to help students connect and to give them a change in their daily routine.
“We wanted to provide students with the opportunity to get to know each other. Connect outside of the classroom and not just sit in front of the computer and be learning and going through PowerPoints. To actually talk to each other and you know, maybe make a friend or two. So, we decided to do student roundtables every Wednesday for this whole semester.”
The roundtable runs from 4-6 p.m. on Wednesday nights.
LCSA President Skye Harding says quite a few students showed interest in the roundtable, but couldn’t attend due to class-time conflicts.
“I do know that one of the students said that a lot of her friends showed some interest, but because of the timing of that week it didn’t work out perfectly.”
During the roundtable on Jan. 20, Marcer said later in the semester they may change the start time of the roundtable to 6 p.m. so more students can attend.
The first two roundtable sessions had two students in attendance. According to Harding, one student who attended the first roundtable enjoyed it very much.
“One of them stayed until the very end. I couldn’t stay for the whole time, but I was told that he stayed right until the very end and participated in a conversation and had some fun.”
Harding believes that having a weekly roundtable will encourage students to voice their concerns because they’ll feel less intimidated. She shares that last semester she and the other two LCSA executives had open office hours that nobody showed up to.
Her hope is that being able to voice their concerns in front of a group will be more comforting for students.
During the first roundtable, participants got to play two truths and a dare. The LCSA is thinking of getting a Jackbox Games account so they can play it during the roundtables.
During the second roundtable, participants got to answer a bunch of fun questions like where do you want to travel? What’s one fun fact about yourself and one boring fact? There were a lot of laughs and fun conversations during the second roundtable.
A student at the roundtable, Damien, likes how the roundtable gives him a chance to change up his daily routine.
“It’s good to have something to do besides just chipping away at my schoolwork or just sitting around playing games all the time, it gives me something to do.”
It is unclear if there will be a student roundtable next year.
The roundtable is being held via zoom, to access the link go to the college’s website or check the LCSA newsletter.
The LCSA Student Roundtable is a safe environment for students to voice their concerns. Last semester the LCSA executives had open office hours that not many students utilized. LCSA President Skye Harding believes the roundtable will make it easier for students to express their worries.
Harding also says the roundtable will help students socialize with each other. The roundtable also helps students learn more about the different aspects of the college.