By 
In season four, Episode 10 of “The Office,” the creators introduce “the Finer Things Club,” the most exclusive club in the office. They meet once a month to discuss books, art, and culture.
Deep in the despair of a COVID semester, on October 10, 2020, my three roommates and I created our very own (adapted) version. The idea came after one of my roommates realized she went an entire week wearing only sweatpants. We needed an excuse to dress up.
At our monthly Friday evening activity, we dressed up in fancy outfits, made meat and cheese boards, played classy music, and strictly adhered to themes.
Our “Finer Things Club” became the way we took care of each other. My graduating class will be the last of those who experienced pre-COVID college.
Returning to college in the Fall of 2020 was a rude awakening that college would be nothing like the year before. We wore masks in classes, took our dining hall food in boxes to our dorms, and kept ourselves 6-feet from our classmates.
I think the transition from pre-COVID college to one spent in dorm rooms on Zoom screens was harder than many of us realized.
Tired of another weekend spent inside our dorm rooms, we decided to host our own party but with COVID restrictions, no one was invited. Our turning point arrived when we decided that the uncertainty of the world around us would not ruin our college experience.
We pledged to have a good time regardless of lockdowns!
COVID took so much from everyone, but it also forced us to make good times because they were harder to find. While the “Finer Things Club” is what my roommates and I did, I know most people found other ways to do the same thing: from hikes in the snow to Zoom movie nights.
Though it’s not the lesson any of us expected out of college, learning how to seek out good times is a crucial part of growing up and living life. I’m grateful to have learned that lesson surrounded by friends.
When people ask me about my time at Carroll, I’ll tell them about the “Finer Things Club.”
My friends at Carroll have taught me to plan fun activities and recognize when they need them too. I’m grateful for a group of people that have taken care of me while teaching me to take care of them.
I’ve seen that supportive culture in many Carroll students and it makes me proud to be a Saint.
So, cheers to the “Finer Things Club.”
