UNIQUE CLUBS IN SCHOOLS
Besides nice kebabs and somewhat sweet sandwiches, the one other thing that convinced me not to jump out of windows back in school was the free period on Thursdays assigned for club activities. The strong urge of sitting on a catapult and projecting myself directly to another universe whenever I had to dissect cockroaches could somewhat be ignored by the science club activities, which were quite fun albeit more on the academic side. Hanging out at the science club made me think of the possibilities of other clubs that our schools could have – clubs that could help us keep calm and embrace our awkward teenage years in school. That brings me to this article where I talk about unique clubs that can be formed at schools.
Meme Appreciation Club
If appreciating the 'Inner Me' memes isn't the only way out of this labyrinth of suffering, I don't know what is. Time and again, it has been scientifically proven that discussing and analysing memes can increase a student's IQ by 7.434 percent. Well maybe not scientifically, but you get my point. It might be difficult to convince your teachers to let you form a Meme Appreciation Club but you can always make a fancy presentation on how memes are now the most widespread form of imparting moral education and how it is the only thing that might save humanity this year. You can organise Inter School Meme Creating Contests and hold Meme Appreciation Conventions. To make these conventions more successful, do not forget to invite famous people who have been turned into memes and celebrate them as humans (read: memes).
Potterhead Club
You knew this was coming. I can't claim that this is a very unique club idea but in the context of Bangladeshi schools, where mostly debating clubs and science clubs steal the spotlight, I figured it might be a good idea to put this club idea out there so that people can start imagining how magical it would be to hold Quidditch championships in the handful of wide open spaces that Dhaka is known for. You can also organise Potter Carnivals where your fellow Potterheads can sell handmade Harry Potter merchandise and have epic spell battles. Also, don't forget to get a Sorting Hat to choose the club's members.
Foodies Club
A renowned scholar named Foodolova from 450 B.C. once said that the way to success is a tummy full of chicken nuggets. If you believe in this statement like I do, I can bet that the idea of a Foodies Club sounds perfect to you. From Naga chilli contests to bake offs to candy crushers, the options are endless when it comes to a club that inhales and speaks food. The Foodies Club can also be a great place for you to earn some extra money by selling food at carnivals held by the club.
DIY Club
The guidelines for founding this club are easy. 1. Find stuff in your backyard. 2. Recycle. 3. Build new stuff to put them back in your backyard so that your mother doesn't notice. Jokes apart, DIY clubs can actually be a good place for students to hone their problem solving skills. Every week, you can give the members a particular problem to solve with a small set of mundane tools. The members can then build models to solve those problems and thus learn the fantastic art of doing it by one's self. DIY clubs can also be a great place to learn life skills like changing a light bulb, fixing a water tap, folding clothes effectively and many more things that we don't learn at school. Students can also learn origami, crafts and even old school skills like sewing and knitting.
Zombie Survival Club
This is where you prepare yourself to survive just in case there's a zombie apocalypse. The members can set up Zombies vs. Humans scenarios where the only way to survive is to use brains; or in case of zombies – weird nails. This could be more like a 'Borof Paani' game where zombies chase humans (or vice versa) and one person survives at the end of the game. You might as well keep score of who the best dressed zombie is to make the game more interesting. Be aware of real zombies while you're at it though.
The High Tea Club
For kids like you and me, who are fond of the 1840s, the high tea club is a perfect place to sit and drink tea with a raised pinkie, and talk about sophisticated literature. This club might as well be a good place to talk about more chic topics like pedicures, porcelain cups and the evolution of teddy bears.
Interventions Club (read: Don't Do This My Friend Club)
Sure, it might be difficult to make people sign up for this club at first, but in my opinion, this is something schools should really have. As teenagers, we tend to listen to what our peers tell us more than we listen to our parents. And in times of sadness and despair, we mostly look for a friend's shoulder for safety and support. An intervention club can go a long way to not only prevent someone from bullying others, but it can also help out the victims to speak up and get the help they need. Instead of having overused and boring ice-breaking sessions, this club can be a forum focusing on all sorts of peer counselling.
Thank God Disney Exists Club
For those of us who know each and every Disney cartoon by heart, this club should work like a haven from reality. With intense discussions about why Lilo and Stitch had an experiment that kept making sandwiches throughout the entire series and references from the Lion King, this club is where the Disney nerds conquer. You can organise fanfiction contests so that people can make all the Disney villains become a part of the Barbie movies to finally end the era of the Barbie. Just kidding, you know the drill – this club is about appreciating the way Disney makes us laugh and cry at the same time with its heart-touching characters and wonderfully crafted storylines.
10-Hour Film Club
Unlike other film or photography clubs, the 10-Hour Film Club can be great for students wanting to pursue a career in the creative fields. The main activity of this club would be to brainstorm, come up with an idea and make a short film – all in the span of 10 hours. This will show students how intense it is to become a filmmaker and also how important it is for a filmmaker to take note of the smallest details. Anyone who's looking for a creative outlet that's not just unique but also competitive can join this club and make the best use of it.
Untalented Musicians Club
Let's face it, we have all had that phase in school when we came up with a band named 'Bully Bunkerz' or, 'Twist of Faith'. As horrible as these bands were, imagine what would happen if you had a club in school that promoted only amateur bands like these. The Untalented Musicians Club can be a great place for starters like 'Bully Bunkerz' to become something bigger (I'm not kidding). The main aim of this club should be to assemble young musicians who are enthusiastic, yet, a little on the dark side. Whether you make your guitar screech or juggle with your maraca, this club is always there to grant you the status of a musician with much love.
Bonus:
Clash of Clans Club, Ayn Rand Club, YA Novel Appreciation Club, Get Fit or Die Club, Acappella Club.
Mashiat Lamisa is often seen frowning at the sight of people who dislike poetry and tomatoes. She can be reached at mashiatlamisa@outlook.com