SAN MARCOS — Before COVID-19 interrupted many lives on the infamous day of March 13, 2020, club life here at Palomar was thriving, with a total of 45 active clubs. Now, there are only 14, says Pippa Pierce, the student activities supervisor.

Apart from COVID halting in-person clubs from meeting at Palomar, COVID-19 also prevented high-school students from joining and creating their own high-school clubs. By the time they reach Palomar, many don’t have a lot of experience with clubs, making the chances that they start or even join a club at Palomar slim, says Pippa.

Club Rush, an event where clubs set up fun informational booths in hopes of recruiting new members, went on last week at the main quad between Tuesday, Sep. 12, and Wednesday, Sep. 13.

The rush was an overall success, with 13 clubs setting up. Many students were happily walking around with free popsicles and drinks handed out by club booths, however, many students were left asking: “Is this it?”

The Telescope talked to a handful of students sitting near the quad, and most weren’t in a club. Some expressed interest, however, the majority of students were reluctant when asked if they planned on joining any at all.

The common reason among them was that they don’t have enough time. However, as conversations continued, the Telescope found that many students simply don’t have a club that speaks to their interests. If there were, they wouldn’t be against attending a meeting.

Take, for example, Alfredo Maldonado and Jose Vela, who are music education majors here at Palomar. They initially said they weren’t that interested in joining any clubs at the moment. They were then asked if their feelings would change if there were a club for musicians.“If people shared the same interests as us, probably,” responded Jose.

Alfredo and Jose weren’t the only ones who held a similar position. Many students were left wishing there was a club for them. A video game club where tournaments could be held, or a club for entrepreneurs were some of the ideas that came up as students spoke to the Telescope.

If you have an idea for a club and want to start one, steps on how to create one are at the bottom of the student life and leadership website.

If starting or being active in a club doesn’t fit within your schedule, there are also clubs like the Wildlife Club that are more casual and flexible. If you’re someone who likes hikes, but can’t attend meetings, the club has stated that it’s perfectly alright for students to just attend the hikes if they’d like to.

For a full list of Palomar clubs, click here. (Note: some information may be outdated)