Community college can often feel isolating for new students. With many students commuting and living off-campus, feeling connected to your school can seem like an impossible task. Clubs are the perfect way to get involved at Hillsborough Community College with like-minded students and meet common goals. They allow students to connect with each other and forge long-lasting bonds. HCC has a total of 75 unique clubs spanning across every campus. Students can find a club and a campus that suits them by visiting https://www.hccfl.edu/ssem/student-activities/clubs-by-campus.

Psychology Club: 

The Psychology Club at Dale Mabry is the perfect club for those interested in psychology and helping out the community. According to the Psychology Club’s President Brenden Tyler, “The Club’s mission is to spread the psychological lens among its members and with anyone we as a club interact with.”

The club has a multitude of events planned this semester. Many of the events this semester focus on creating awareness, doing cleanup projects on campus, fundraising and hosting social events. On Oct. 19 they are organizing a Random Act of Kindness Day (RAK/ Day)/Suicide Prevention Day. “On that day, we will be located right in front of the SGA lounge, and we will be giving away goody bags to anybody that walks by. We will also have a table with a bunch of pamphlets on suicide prevention and the help center hotline. We will also be participating in the Heart Walk at Raymond James Stadium on November 11,” Tyler says. In terms of social events, Tyler adds, the club previously hosted a movie night and plans to go to Gametime in Ybor City on Oct. 26.

Students can join The Psychology Club by attending meeting and events, says Tyler. “The best way for members to get updates from the club is through the Facebook page; everything we do gets posted there,” he says. Students can attend meetings on the Dale Mabry Campus in the Social Sciences Building, Room 225 on Monday at 3:30 p.m.

Gaming Club: 

Students who love video games can look no further than The SouthShore Gaming Club (SGC).  “Our club’s mission is to give the students a place to relax. Many of us work and go to school at the same time; this club is meant to give the students a break from both,” says Gaming Club President Kate Jones. According to Jones, the club helps serve as an environment for students to make new friends. The club benefits students by helping them de-stress and have fun.

“Students can join by just walking in and playing a few games with everyone. We have our Game days on Mondays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. in Portable M at the Southshore campus. Once a month, we take a break in the middle of our Monday Game day and have our official meetings at 1:30 p.m.” says Jones.

Community-Based Activism:

The Community Based Activism Club is perfect for students interested in promoting social change and raising awareness. “CBA’s mission is to provide an open forum for HCC students to discuss policy issues and raise social awareness in order to empower students, to drive institutional change, and realize the strength of their collective voices,” says Club Adviser, Rebecca Todd. The two main events CBA will be providing are The Human Library and The Bridge Project. “The human library helps disprove common stereotypes and myths corresponding to the humans themselves,” says, Todd. The Bridge Project is “a week-long series of events focusing on the immigrant experience and leading up to an interactive forum about educational justice and ensuring that every student has equal access to education,” explains Todd.

“The club meets every Thursday at 4:30 p.m. in DHUM, Room 341(Humanities Building)” says Todd. Students can join the club in various ways. According to Todd, “they can email the club leadership at CBActivism.hcc@gmail.com. They can also join the Facebook group: Community Based Activism HCC, or drop by Professor Todd’s office and complete an application form (posted outside her office at DHUM, Room 303).”

Soccer Club:

Those saddened by the absence of soccer from the list of HCC athletic teams can rejoice! HCC has a Soccer Club at the Dale Mabry Campus. According to HCC’s website, “Membership to this organization signifies that all members, students, faculty, and staff are passionate about the sport of soccer and enjoy sharing their skills, knowledge, and enthusiasm through competition.”

According to Club Adviser, Dustin Lemke, “Starting in October, we meet each Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Lincoln Gardens Park Soccer Field.”