A series of virtual game nights hosted by the Thompson Rivers University Students’ Union (TRUSU) during the COVID-19 pandemic brought students together to build a sense of community, while adhering to the provincial health safety guidelines. 

More than 350 students from Thompson Rivers University (TRU) attended a total of six virtual game nights hosted by TRUSU between January 2021 and April 2021, winning prizes valued at roughly $2,000. 

“The vast majority of students at TRU did not sign up for online courses when the pandemic began,” explained Keegan Lawrence, TRUSU vice-president, “so we wanted to help build a sense of community for students and to facilitate meaningful social interactions for new friendships to form in a fun, yet safe environment. A series of virtual game nights was a humbling way to break up the winter doldrums.” 

TRUSU’s entertainment committee pivoted from hosting in-person events for students toward a health and wellness approach focused on disrupting social isolation in a meaningful way. That way students could meet their peers, while staying safe and adhering to the provincial health officer’s safety guidelines during the pandemic. 

“We know it has been a long year and it’s easy to feel isolated,” said Parth Patel, TRUSU entertainment coordinator. “As we navigate through this global health care crisis, we continue to look for ways that we can connect students with each other during their academic journey at TRU.”  

If you have any suggestions for socially distanced entertainment events in the future, please drop us a line with your recommendations.  

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