By Blaire Bayliss, EPPS Freshman
Whether or not you know it, you are a sociologist. If you want to understand the way the world works, if you’re interested in trends or if you want to know more about the way people think, then you are a sociologist in the making. If you have noticed the way that your circle of friends interact with each other, if you think that each group has its quirks, or if you have ever tried to understand other people’s lives, then you are a sociologist already.
Everyone is a sociologist- and by extension, everyone belongs at the Sociology Club.
When I first walked into sociology club on a recent Tuesday night, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The topic of discussion was sex trends on campus- something that was never publicly discussed in my conservative high school. Although I was interested to hear what would be said, I was almost certain that I would be awkward and uncomfortable. I couldn’t have been more mistaken.
The topic was addressed from both a statistical and philosophical standpoint. During a lecture by Dr. Lanham, the entire room was enthralled by the shockingly low use of contraceptives and the shockingly high trend of abstinence. Then later, during a debate on the topic, everyone in the room was given the opportunity to share their thoughts on a variety of topics. I was completely surprised at the maturity of the discussion. Students and teachers of all ages discussed previous psychological and sociological studies, philosophical ideas, policy decisions, and interesting pieces of data that they had heard before coming to club.
Not only was the information approached from a responsible and comfortable standpoint, but it was also completely fascinating. Listening to other students give their opinion was both interesting and inspiring- and I found myself taking the microphone twice during the night. Sociology club turned out to be a safe experience where I could discuss my opinion on the issues that mattered most to me without the fear of judgment, ridicule, argument or even so much as a sneer. My opinions were respected. My voice was heard. And it was incredible. A definite plus was that at the end of the night, I was able to take home an entire tray of chicken nuggets… and the staff actually thanked me for it!
Sociology club was, overall, an overwhelmingly positive experience. I plan to go back every Tuesday for the rest of the semester.
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