The face-to-face social interaction between students would have to pause until the virus has vanished. The implications of COVID-19 have resulted in students having to isolate themselves to ensure their safety. Students are staying home to prevent the spread of the virus and are not communicating with others in person. “For me, I have not seen people interact with each other much since things went online,” said Julian Lugod, president of the Rebel Gaming Club. “So, trying to get people to associate with each other in a face-to-face atmosphere with games leads to a fun time.”
The Rebel Gaming Club created a platform for students to come together and play video games. Lugod wanted students at home to feel very much connected to others around the university. “The main driving force has been human interaction. People are just excited to meet again,” Lugod said. “New students want to be a part of fun new things, so we make sure they get that experience here.”
One of the newest officers of the Rebel Gaming Club, Chelsea Acdan, has already made friends. The amount of time that other members have asked her to play games makes her feel right at home, she said. “I’m a first-year, and helping out with the team and events have been a lot of fun,” Acdan said. “I really enjoy making graphics, and it has helped me to meet a lot of people.” COVID-19 may keep students from meeting together in small compact quarters but not over the web.
Within this organization, most of the meetings and interactions are online. Which has led to more opportunities for students to participate in their events, he said. “During this COVID-19 period, we were able to host online events smoothly,” Lugod said. “We had the lucky opportunity to get funding to supply the organization because a lot of other sporting clubs have had to shut down for safety reasons.” The lives and daily routines of students who attend UNLV have changed. As a result, making this club more accessible for everyone increased the chances of new members joining regularly.
The Rebel Gaming Club has implemented a discord group chat to provide students at UNLV with exciting moments.”After launching our discord, we have had a lot of new members wanting to join the club,” Lugod said. “It makes such an enormous difference that our officers are very sociable, and it helps to promote interaction with other students.”
While this club wants its members to enjoy video games, it intends to pair students to make lifelong friendships. Therefore, having similar tastes in games usually leads to more open conversation between two students.”We strive to find two people who like to play the same game and have them connect with each other better,” Acdan said. “A healthy bonding experience.”
UNLV has made it a priority to have resources for students who need assistance. The support has also extended to the Rebel Gaming Club, making it easier to get events approved.The university provided Rebel Gaming with the space and technology to continue its activities. Having this support has made getting new team members to join in on the fun less challenging.
“They have done a lot for us, and I hope we can continue to work together into the future,” Lugod said. “It has been an incredibly positive experience this semester.”
COVID-19 has changed the college lifestyle for students at UNLV, and the everyday interactions between them will always be a little different. However, the Rebel Gaming Club has provided a platform for students to have fun and socialize. The best days to see this club in action are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. New events are being integrated into the schedule to allow more chances for students to attend. Acdan wants Rebel Gaming to stay around for as long as possible and become one of the leading UNLV clubs. “So, as every new semester approaches, hopefully, this club can be there too”
The Rebel Gaming Club would like to emphasize that anyone who wants to give it a try should do it. Opportunities are coming up to see this club, and students should not miss out on all the fun.”For all the students who see all the flyers around campus and online, we do this for fun,” Julian said. “This experience is for those who love to enjoy games with other students, and if that suits you, this is the place to be.”
