Bakersfield College hosted a virtual engagement festival, on Sept. 2, to allow students to get involved in different activities and clubs that BC has to offer. The festival was an all-day event that had separate zoom calls set up from 10 a.m.-6:15 p.m.
Many of the events varied from administrators discussing the different legal services that BC offers to professors explaining the basics of their clubs. Some of the clubs that were involved were the math club, physics club, and the pre-law club.
“Having everything virtual has been difficult, to say the least. In-person, you get to be hands-on and learn things while online you are just doing some assignments,” BC student Esperanza Contreras said. “I won’t be joining any clubs or any other virtual events, but it is good that BC is doing what they can to keep the students engaged and involved.”
Some students discussed interruptions such as bad Wi-Fi connection or problems with zoom when trying to join a call. Many of the presentations lasted anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how smoothly the call went, but students remained engaged through all the difficulties.
“I was a few minutes late when I was trying to join one of the calls. I joined the EOP&S call because I wanted to learn more about the program and what they had to offer. I am glad that BC is doing virtual activities because I need something to get me through quarantine. I will, for sure, be joining future events whenever I can,” BC student Isabella Polanco said.
Students are encouraged to join any virtual events that may be interested in it. Staying involved in enjoyable activities and staying connected with others, even through social media, can help with maintaining a positive mental state according to the CDC.
Bakersfield College scheduled many virtual events for students to join. The events include Netflix watch parties, guest speakers, workshops, and gaming streams. Although the events were posted on the BC website, the BCSGA recommended students join the BC discord so that they can remain informed about upcoming events. The information for the virtual engagement festival was posted in the discord as well as the BC website.