On Apr. 3 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., the Michigan Tech Center for Student Mental Health and Well-being is hosting its final Board Game Night of the semester. The event will take place in the Wads Annex in the basement of Wadsworth Hall. All members of the Michigan Tech community are welcome to attend. The event is hosted by Jim Grider, a clinical counselor at Michigan Tech. Additionally, members of the Board Game Club often attend the meet-ups.
Board Game Night features a variety of games, and participants are not expected to play one game at each meet-up. Instead, participants can choose from many games or bring their own. While Euchre remains the most popular game, Grider noted that every type of game from Sorry to Exploding Kittens is played. While refreshments aren’t necessarily provided, Grider admitted that he’s often willing to buy a beverage from the Cafe for anyone interested.
Grider believes that Board Game Night provides students with an excellent opportunity to socialize as “board games are an easy way to meet new people and make friends.” Grider noted that many of the participants have used Board Game Night as a way to step out of their comfort zone. Since the start of the fall semester, Board Game Night has exploded in popularity. At its beginning the meet-ups only consisted of Grider and a “few interns” but now regularly see between 10 and 30 students attend.
Going forward, Grider wants to use advertising in order to get more students to attend. Thanks to an increased budget, snacks or beverages will be provided at meetings in future semesters. Regardless of the changes, the purpose of Board Game Night remains the same: to give students a place to belong within the Michigan Tech community. When reflecting on the meet-ups Grider concluded, “Board games make you think about family and closeness, and this makes you feel like you are part of the Husky Family.”
The Michigan Tech Center for Student Mental Health and Well-Being hosts many events besides Board Game Night including Husky Hour, Cookies and Coloring, and Let’s Talk. More information about Board Game Night and other similar social events can be found at https://www.mtu.edu/well-being/student-services/events/
