ASB activities encourage safe interaction as students return

Brennen Ho, Senior Staff Writer
March 9, 2021

Students play ping pong — one of multiple ASB-led, in-person activities — at lunch, Thursday on the Quad. Students have been reporting success with ASB–led in-person events. Junior Yubin Zhang, a member of the Associated Student Body Student Cohort Activities Committee, shared plans to expand the number of activities available to students. “As the county moves towards fewer restrictions, our committee is planning more fun and interactive events like capture-the-flag with pool noodles, volleyball and Spikeball,” Zhang stated in a message to The Paly Voice. Photo: Zhang.

On-campus events planned and conducted by the Associated Student Body have been successful in creating safe in-person interactions for returning student cohorts, according to students who have already returned since the beginning of the semester. 

Sophomore Evie Barclay described one such event to The Paly Voice, “Coordinators took advantage of the beautiful weather by creating an elaborate frisbee setup on the Quad. The seniors’ music was playing, and students appeared to be having fun while interacting from a distance in an overall very laid-back atmosphere.”

In both the return to campus and the planning of activities, safety has been a priority, according to Junior Yubin Zhang, a member of the ASB Student Cohort Activities committee.  Zhang said planning was tricky due to the need for social distancing.

“With the restrictions that we have, we will try our best to organize activities that are fun and safe at the same time,” Zhang stated.

Freshman Felicia Buchholz described some of the safety protocols in place on campus.

“We get our temperature taken every time we come to campus, and have to answer questions regarding our health [during] the past two weeks,” Buchholz stated.

Although planning has been a lengthy process, some events have been successfully implemented on campus for student cohorts, including Spikeball and frisbee golf, according to Zhang.

“Frisbee golf has worked extremely well because students did not have any contact with each other; they just used their own frisbee and all equipment was sanitized after use,” Zhang stated. “The setup of the event was also fairly easy and successful, especially with the help of students in our committee and [ASB adviser] Mr. [Greer] Stone.”

ASB plans to organize more events in the coming weeks to promote in-person interactions, especially as additional students return to campus starting Tuesday.

“In terms of future events, we are thinking of moving out badminton nets or providing tennis equipment so students could play sports that don’t require direct contact with each other,” Zhang stated. “There will also be more ‘chill’ events like Cookies on the Quad.”