By Stephinie Phan, Art Director
For some college students, the idea of making new friends on campus can be a daunting task. And at a place like CSUDH, where most students commute to and from campus, building connections with others can be particularly difficult.
But this year, Toros didn’t have to look too far or too long for new people they could share a laugh with – or even a cool, refreshing cup of boba tea.
On Sept. 10, the Asian & Pacific Cultural Center (APCC) partnered with the CSUDH Career Center and the Office of First and Second-Year Experience (OFSYE) to co-host the third “Boba Buddies” speed-friending event. The social activity drew inspiration from the concept of “speed dating,” in which people have several brief conversations with a series of potential romantic partners.
Organizers encouraged students to mingle and meet new people – all while enjoying a free boba tea drink. Students were assigned randomly to tables in groups of about six to nine. After the first round of introductions and icebreaker activities, students moved on to a different table to meet as many new people as possible within the time limit.
“I wanted to get myself out there and I think this was a good step,” said freshman Emily Onofre, a film, television, and media student. “I just wanted the opportunity to meet new people.”
It’s no secret the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on student life at CSUDH. According to CSUDH psychology professor Ashley Membere, the pandemic had an impact on the ways in which people interact and engage with one another.
“An unintended consequence of [COVID-19] was the physical isolation,” Membere said. “In psychology, the mere exposure to people, physical exposure helps to build up friendship.”
Organizers had hoped Boba Buddies would not only bring Toros together but give new students a sense of belonging on campus. They also wanted to encourage students to put down their devices and create face-to-face connections with others.
“We just want to take people off of social media,” said APCC program director Nathan Nguyen. “So many people are on Discord, Instagram, and Snapchat, but how do we interact with people in-person again, especially post-pandemic?”
Fostering a sense of community on campus is also important to the CSUDH administration, said Membere.
“I know a big goal for administration here at Dominguez Hills is for the students to stay and socialize, and we’re very much a commuter campus,” Membere said. “With the addition of the dorms, [there’s] more encouragement to stay, socialize, and build these life-long connections.”
Jennifer Henriquez, a career readiness coach at the Career Center, said events like Boba Buddies can help students to prepare for post-college life.
“We find that these events help students not only acclimate to campus but also practice their networking skills,” Henriquez said.
What organizers hope for extends beyond simply creating and hosting these events for students, but also to grow with them. “We’re continuing to evolve boba buddies,” said Sheyla Peinder one of the program coordinators for OFSYE. “So for us, it’s really trying to build that community [and] work as a team.”
Jeremiah Rojas contributed to this report.
